Nothing Sirius
by nicolesoul
Summary: All Melora and Sirius wanted was one night of fun after their ill-fated relationships were over. Nothing serious, just a good time. What they got was a nine-month commitment.
1. The Mistake

1–

It began with the end of a relationship, two to be exact.

Hers was messy. Screaming, tears, cursing, all by her, chocolate, and firewhiskey.

His was silent. A mutual agreement, for him at least, a few dirty looks, and firewhiskey.

The one similarity made all the difference. The similarity that left them blinded with no judgment, their blood coursing with alcohol, bodies running on emotion. And of course, left them with a recipe for disaster.

They weren't looking for commitment. They weren't looking for love. It wasn't supposed to be serious. So how did it happen?

* * *

Melora Jones was running. Where, she wasn't sure, but she did know that she had wanted to get as far away from the common room as possible, and several corridors and stairs later, she was far away and realizing she no longer had a goal. But for some odd reason, did not stop running.

This was a pity really, because Melora hadn't run in ages and her sides felt as though someone had pushed knives into them and her calves were so tight she was sure they were going to explode.

And it was entirely that cow, Stacy Scott's, fault. Just thinking of the bitch made Melora run harder and then think of that prick, Stephen Walters, who brought tears to her eyes, which she wiped away with her already soaked with tears sleeve.

It really wasn't fair how she could hate him so much, yet he could still make her cry so hard.

A sudden pain erupted in her right leg, tripping Melora up and sending her crashing onto the floor. Blinking a few times, the girl bit her lip and rubbed her leg, trying to sooth the pain and trying to stop the spinning floor at the same time, the latter, she was sure, an aftereffect of the numerous glasses of firewhiskey she had drank.

But despite the aching pain and spinning world, Melora found her way off the ground, although this time, she walked instead of ran, still heading farther and farther from the Ravenclaw Common Room.

The brown-eyed girl stopped for a moment and bit her lip. Or at least she thought she was running away.

"Oh bollocks." She said aloud, briefly enjoying the sound of her voice as it bounced off the walls.

Melora supposed she was a bit of a reckless drunk. That certainly would explain her earlier outburst in the Common Room, and why she was currently lost in a castle at Merlin only knew what time.

"I'm goin' to be in trouble." She informed a suit of armor as she walked past it. The armor said nothing in return, which stopped Melora in her tracks. "E'scuse me." She frowned, "But when someone says somethin' to you. It's polite to say somethin' back."

The armor remained silent and Melora wrinkled her nose and put her hands on her hips, "Well?" She asked "Are you jus' goin' to stand there?"

A voice from behind her joined in the one-sided conversation, "She's right you know. It's only polite."

Melora spun around and blinked to stop the spinning before focusing on the boy in front of her. "I know you." She said squinting.

He nodded solemnly, "I know you too."

They stood in silence for a moment before Melora exclaimed "Sirius Black!"

"Where?" The boy turned to look behind him and Melora giggled. "You're Sirius Black."

"Oh." He grinned "I suppose I am."

The girl matched his grin and took a step closer, her argument with the suit of armor long forgotten. Black was supposed to be one of the best looking blokes in school, but close up Melora decided he didn't look so great.

"What're you doing here?" She asked as they turned away from each other and began to walk down the corridor together.

Sirius looked up at the ceiling trying to remember, "I was trying to get away from," he paused "Aubrey, I think. Or was it Mary?" A sigh "It was definitely a girl."

"What happened?" Melora didn't know why she was suddenly so interested, but she supposed any drama that wasn't her own seemed good right now.

"We weren't," He reached out into the air, trying to communicate with vague hand signals "You know?"

Melora didn't, but she nodded a few times as though she did.

"And I thought it was time for us to end." Sirius sighed again "But I really liked her, you know?"

This time, Melora really did understand and she couldn't help but think of Stephan.

"And it sort of, hurt me, to see her give me those I-hate-you looks." He turned towards her with a sudden bright smile, "And what about you, Miss…" If Melora was unhappy that he didn't know her name despite having several classes together, she didn't show it, because she responded with a smile of equal wattage and replied "Jones, Melora Jones."

"Can I call you Melly?" Stacy had called her Melly. Melora had always hated that nickname and vowed in the first hour of her drinking binge to stop it's use, but it sounded so nice coming off Sirius' tongue she nodded quickly with a slight giggle, wondering if her first observation of his features was wrong as they slowly gravitated towards each other as they reversed directions in their walk, going back to where they'd came from.

"Right, what brings you here Melly?"

"Oh you know," She twisted a strand of loose hair between her fingers, "Idiot pricks who can't stop thinking with their dicks." She giggled at the rhyme.

Sirius either understood or ignored her, because he gave no response and they continued walking in silence.

Melora used this time to analyze the situation the best she could while drunk on both alcohol and the smell of Sirius' cologne. She just saw her boyfriend of six months blatantly cheating on her in front of everyone in the Common Room. Had a fit and screamed her head off at him, before heading down to the kitchens to get wasted. Then came back to find the bastard still snogging the whore, Stacy Scott, yelled at him again and ran away, only to get lost with a really good smelling and good-looking bloke.

As far as she was concerned there was only one thing left to do.

"Hey Black." She paused in their walk and Sirius stopped about a meter ahead of her.

"Yeah?" Sirius looked at her and she took a few steps forward to they were equal. Then, with one fluid movement, she grabbed Sirius' collar and pulled him down to her level, before kissing him straight on the lips.

It didn't take long for Sirius to get into it. His arms found their way around Melora's waist, then under her bum as he helped her jump up onto him, wrapping her legs around him and backing him up against the wall as the kiss quickly melted into a full out snogging session.

All of Melora's worries about Stephen and Stacy and everything else melted away as she and Sirius worked their way back down the hallway, their tongues half-way down each other's throat.

"We should -" Melora let out a groan as Sirius began to work his way down her neck "go someplace – more- private."

As though by magic, a door appeared next to Sirius. He struggled to open while still supporting Melora, who was clinging to him as though her life depended on it.

Neither looked much at the room, it had a bed and that was all they currently wanted, but had they taken a moment to observe their surroundings, the thought of what a bedroom was doing in the middle of a hallway filled with classrooms might have crossed their mind.

However, they didn't, so the idea didn't come up, and instead Sirius threw Melora onto the bed joining her within a millisecond for what was sure to be a memorable night.

That is of course, if they hadn't been absolutely smashed.

* * *

A/N- Haha, new story. first published Harry Potter story in a long while.


	2. The Aftermath

2-

It had been five weeks.

Melora knew this, not because she had been counting, but she had a Transfiguration exam that day and had marked it on her calendar.

It would have been pathetic if she had counted.

Thank Merlin she hadn't.

Five bloody weeks. The words bounced around in her head. Five weeks since she and Stephen had broken up, five weeks since she had talked to her so-called friend, Stacy, and five weeks since she had slept with Sirius Black.

Five god awful weeks.

But it had been two months and three weeks since something else.

And it was that something that currently had her staring between a little white stick and her watch, Eleanor Harvey peeking over her shoulder.

"Is it almost done?" Eleanor whispered nibbling on her bottom lip. Melora gave no reply.

Eleanor, who wasn't the brightest, took her silence as a go to keep talking. "Are you sure that you did all the other tests wrong?"

Of course Melora knew she had in fact, done them right, but the same answer over and over, she closed her eyes; please let this one be different.

"I think it's done Melora." Eleanor tapped her gently on the shoulder and Melora opened her eyes to find the exact opposite of what she wanted: two little pink lines forming a small plus.

Five weeks, two lines.

"Are you sure these muggle tests are good?" She turned to face Eleanor, who, being muggleborn, had been the one to get her the test after she had given up on the magical potion.

Eleanor nodded, "'Fraid so."

Melora mimicked her nod, "Well then, I guess I'd better tell the father."

At the mention of the boy, Eleanor jumped in excitement, "Who is it?" She had been asking Melora this question since the blonde had asked if Eleanor could get a muggle test for her. And of course, she had completely avoided answering every time. If people knew that she had not only slept with Sirius Black, but smashed enough to forget a contraception charm as well, her life would be over.

As if it wasn't already.

Shrugging her shoulders, Melora wormed past Eleanor and headed back into their dormitory. "You don't know?" The dark haired girl's eyes widened and Melora quickly shook her head.

"No, no! I know who it is," She paused "I think he should probably know first, before I start telling people."

Eleanor nodded seriously, "That's so honest of you." She fell onto Melora's bed, "But you'll tell me who right after, right?"

Although Melora could think of numerous people she would gladly tell before Eleanor, a notorious gossip, she managed a small grin. "Of course I will. Just please don't tell anyone."

"I won't, I swear it."

* * *

Sirius Black liked to think he knew a girl a little better after shagging her. It could have been planned or an accident, but he still felt he could read them better, as if a window had been opened to the evasive female mind, revealing thoughts that has once been hidden behind a confusing wall of female hormones.

Or something like that.

This was, of course, the reason that when Sirius saw the girl he had slept with while intoxicated after his break-up with Mary McDonald several weeks ago walking towards him, he could tell she had something she really wanted to tell him, and it was something bad.

And this was the reason he quickly turned on his heel and headed in the opposite direction, ignoring James and Remus's protests to come back before they were late to Transfiguration.

Screw Transfiguration! Couldn't they see he was two seconds away from being in the middle of a disaster?

Of course not, Sirius realized as his common sense kicked in, he hadn't told them about his drunken night with the girl or the realization of what he'd done the next morning when he'd woken up to the sight of her fleeing the room.

But despite this lack of knowledge, he was sure that she was one of those girls, the type that looked for relationships after sex, and that Prongs and Moony would gladly wait for his explanation had they known this also. After all, they had been there when he'd drowned his sorrows in firewhiskey and knew that he had sworn off all women. Including…bloody hell, Sirius mentally groaned, he couldn't think of her name.

Oh sweet Merlin, she was getting closer. She was going to talk to him and he couldn't even remember her name.

Sirius headed up a staircase towards the Gryffindor tower, his fast walk turning into a jog; perhaps he could reach it before she caught up.

Jones! Sirius nearly tripped over his feet as her last name came to him.

"Black! Slow down!" Jones called after him. Sirius spared a glance over his shoulder to see the girl look around her own surroundings, as if to check if there was anyone watching them.

Wait, Sirius' common sense opened its big mouth again, if she didn't want anyone around maybe she didn't want anyone to know what they had done either. And it had been over a month, surely if she wanted something more, she would have said so by now. Sirius felt a huge wave of relief pass over him and he stopped and turned to face the blonde who was panting slightly as she reached him.

"'Lo Jones." He grinned, the confidence that this was nothing more than a confirmation that she too wanted no one to know radiated though him.

"Black" She greeted him with a nervous expression on her face, and Sirius felt the confidence drop slightly, she should be happy when talking about forgetting the night. "Look, I don't know exactly how to put this so..." Jones trailed off and began fidgeted with the sleeve of her robes anxiously but Sirius just smiled lazily.

Melly! That was it! Sirius felt his smile grow slightly although part of him was still curious what her full name was. Maybe it was Melanie.

"Relax Melly-"

"Melora." Sirius froze at the sound of her suddenly cold voice.

"What?"

"My name is Melora." She clarified, eyes narrowing. "Not _Melly._" The nickname slipped off her tongue like poison.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Not what you said that night." A flash of a memory with giggles and the smell of sweat and alcohol rolled through both their minds, but each shook it out quickly.

"Look Black," Melora began again, "About that-"

"Like I was going to say, no big deal, I totally agree." Sirius said, doing what he thought was saving her the embarrassment.

"What?" Melora frowned, "How can you agree with me being pregnant?"

Sirius blinked "I thought that you were going to say you never wanted to speak of that night again, and we should just pretend it never happened."

He paused as Melora shook her head the realization of what she had really meant hit him, "You're…you're…" He couldn't get the word out.

"I'm pregnant." Melora stated as calmly as she would the weather. "And I'm ninety-nine percent sure you're the father."

Sirius let out a small "Oh." Before he fell flat over onto he back and Jones's mildly concerned face faded into nothingness.

* * *

A/N- Oh Sirius, you would faint. Review please


	3. The Options

3-

If Sirius Black said that when he awoke in the hospital wing, he had expected to see his best friend, James Potter, held at wand point by Melora Jones, he would be lying.

Mainly because he, a) had no idea why he was in the hospital wing to begin with and b) he couldn't remember Miss Jones' name again.

Nevertheless, that was what he saw, along with the sight of his two other friends Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew choking on their laughter and Madame Moffat hurrying over to break it up.

"This is a hospital wing!" She screeched "Not a dueling ring!"

Jones backed off a look of disgust on her face and James rolled his eyes and muttered something about her starting it.

Sirius watched with slight amusement before he remembered what Jones had told him. Then the only thought on his mind was escaping without the healer, his friends, and most importantly, Jones, seeing him.

"Mr. Black!" The shrill voice of the school's healer pierced Sirius's ear before he could even get his shoes on. "Just where do you think you're going?"

"Uh…" Sirius smiled sheepishly "Nowhere?"

"We've got homework do Madame Moffat." Peter piped up as he, James, and Remus came towards their now conscious friend, Jones a meter or two behind them.

"I'm sure it can wait." Moffat replied coldly before turning to Sirius "You're lucky Miss Jones found you Black." She said, throwing a smile in the girl's direction.

"We brought him here." James mumbled under his breath but the healer ignored him

"Madame Moffat, do you think I could talk to you in private?" Jones looked rather embarrassed, and Sirius had a sinking feeling he knew what she was going to ask.

Madame Moffat, on the other hand, had no idea, "Of course dear." She said pleasantly "But you three," She shot the three standing Marauders a dark look "Out of my infirmary!"

James gave Sirius a we'll-be-back look to which he nodded, and the three made their way out slowly. As the gray-eyed boy watched them go, Sirius couldn't help but have a growing feeling of nervousness in his stomach. Without his friends here, there was no way he could get out of talking about…about…oh Merlin, he couldn't even think about it.

Sirius sunk down in the small cot and threw a hand over his eyes, what was he going to do?

* * *

Melora was fairly sure she had never felt so uncomfortable in her life.

Apparently, Madame Moffat hadn't thought teenagers at Hogwarts even knew about sex, much less were having it.

The young woman watched with a sick stomach and a growing blush as the healer worked her way through potions muttering about her day, when a girl waited until she was married.

This was an awful idea, Melora thought to herself, if Moffat knew then she would surely tell the headmaster and she'd kicked out of school! Oh that ruddy Sirius Black!

The blonde peered out the door to Madame Moffat's office into the main room of the infirmary. Sirius was looking at his hands as though they were the most interesting things in the world, his friends gone.

Prick, it was him and his bloody sperm that got her into this fucking mess.

"Here we go!" Madame Moffat announced her voice an octave higher than usual, "You go in the bathroom and we'll see if you even have anything to worry about!"

Melora was fairly sure she did, but took the potion bottle from the healer's hands and headed into the loo. By now, after 7 pregnancy potions just like the one in her hand, and 5 muggle pregnancy tests courtesy of Eleanor, Melora was getting good at these and peed into the bottle quickly, before capping it and putting it on a shelf while she washed up.

It figures this would happen to her, Melora decided as she dried her hands with her wand. It would be her luck to get pregnant her last year of Hogwarts after doing nothing to deserve this. She had been a good girl, hadn't she? It wasn't as if she was a slut. Until now anyway, she mused, grabbing the potion and easing her way out of the bathroom. In fact, Black was her first and only.

Oh Merlin, Melora froze, she had lost her virginity to Sirius Black. And she had been smashed. And she had gotten pregnant. What had she done to deserve this?

"All done dear?" Madame Moffat's voice broke the blonde's train of thought.

"Oh, um, yes." Melora handed the bottle to the older witch. Moffat set it on the table behind her and flicked her wand at it. The two stared at the bottle as though their lives depended on it and stood in complete silence. Within seconds, although Melora would later claim it was hours, the potion in the bottle swirled and turned a deep pink.

Melora let out a breath she hadn't realized she's been holding, and her shoulders sagged in sadness. Pink meant pregnant.

Madame Moffat blinked a few times as though she wasn't quite sure what she was seeing, but shook it off quickly and gestured the young girl to sit down behind her desk as she busied herself putting a few feet of parchment together.

"Right." Moffat sat across from Melora and put on a pair of beaded spectacles, almost instantly they fell to the tip of her nose and nearly fell off, had the healer's nose not turned up at the end.

Melora turned her head to the side slightly; it was odd how much Moffat's nose turned up. It was at least a centimeter, maybe two.

"Did you hear me dear?" Moffat looked over her glasses and Melora felt her face burn red again.

"No, sorry, what was that?" Moffat sighed, now irritated with the girl. "I asked if you know who the father is."

"Oh." Melora paused, truth time. Did she bring Sirius down with her, or pretend to be an even bigger slag and act as if she didn't know? "Yes." No question whose reputation she cared more about, besides, Black could bounce back, her on the other hand…her bounce-ability was questionable. Was bounce-ability even a word? Probably not.

"Miss Jones! Please pay attention!" Melora snapped her head up to listen to Madame Moffat. "Sorry." She repeated.

Madame Moffat just waved her hand and pushed her specs back up to the bridge of her nose. "And who is it?"

Melora bit her bottom lip, and nodded slightly towards the office door, "Um, Sirius Black ma'am. That's why, I think he, um, he fainted…" she trailed off and looked down at her hands.

The healer sighed again and scribbled down a few notes, "Ah, well that does add up." She cleared her throat and shuffled the parchment around, "Now there are several options for you, and I'll allow you some time to discuss them with Mr. Black."

Melora considered informing Moffat that should she have this baby there was no way in hell Sirius Black was coming near it, but instead kept quiet and allowed her to continue.

"First you can keep the baby and raise it yourself, second you can have the baby but give it up for adoption, or third you can…well, have it taken care of." Madame Moffat finished awkwardly, although Melora got the gist of what she was saying. "All three have their upsides and downsides, so you best think hard about what you're going to do."

Melora nodded and Madame Moffat rolled up the parchment for her, "Unfortunately, I do have to inform the headmaster and your parents." The blonde winced, "But I'll also set up an appointment for you at St. Mungo's, so that you can be properly checked out."

The medi-witch handed over the parchment and looked at the girl over her glasses, "I suggest you go discuss your options with Mr. Black sooner rather than later." Melora nodded once more and thanked Moffat before hurrying out the door, her cheeks burning red. Clutching her heart briefly, Melora thanked the gods that conversation was done with.

That is, until a voice reminded her there were plenty more to come, "So…what's the verdict?" Melora turned to face Sirius who was now putting back on his school robes with a nervous smile.

Melora let out a small breath, oh Merlin, what in the world was she going to do?

* * *

A/N- Good question Melora. Moffat is a horrible character to write, I'm not so great at the disapproving nurse POV.

Review please!


	4. The Friends

4-

Once upon a time, Melora thought she knew awkwardness. She thought she had experienced it at its fullest and most horrifying capacity back in 5th year when she had assumed Marshall Jenkins, the boy she had fancied since she had first set eyes on him, was trying to ask her out and she told him yes and confessed her longstanding crush, when, in reality, he wanted her to ask out one of her dorm mates for him.

But this situation was unbelievably worse.

Sirius had finished pulling on his robes and was still smiling as though there was hope that they could put this all behind them. "Well?" He asked taking a few steps toward her.

"I'm definitely pregnant." Melora said, unconsciously taking a few steps back towards Madame Moffat's door.

"And you're sure it's…mine?"

The blond nodded. "Stephen, my ex-boyfriend, and I never…um, well you know."

"Shagged?" Sirius smirked a little but dropped it when Melora shot him a dirty look.

"Our relationship went deeper than physical contact." She replied sharply, her voice slightly higher.

Sirius just shrugged, as if he cared about Jones's social problems. What they needed to focus on now was the thing inside her. "So what are we going to do?"

Melora unrolled the scrolls and looked at the information Moffat had given her, considering showing Sirius, but rolled it back up immediately. The pamphlets really did have everything she needed, diagrams and graphic images included.

"I don't know yet." She replied "But I wanted to tell you that you don't need to do anything." The words fell out of Melora's mouth before she could stop them, "I promise I won't tell anyone it's yours. We can just pretend we never met. That's what you want right?"

Sirius blinked not entirely sure what the right this to say was. Melora, however, seemed to take this as an affirmative answer. She hurried out of the hospital wing, throwing a quick "Goodbye Black." Over her shoulder, leaving Sirius with his mouth half open, speechless.

* * *

"And she just left?"

Sirius nodded miserably and James let out a low whistle, "Wow mate, that's rough."

Peter glanced up from James's copy of '_Quidditch Through the Ages'_, "More like lucky if you ask me."

"How'd you figure?" Sirius asked coolly, daring Peter to deny the importance of his child.

Peter flushed and shrugged turning back to the magazine, "It's lucky she's giving you the potion to opt out is all. Not that you should or anything."

Remus shook his head as he scribbled out a large portion of his Potions essay, "You should talk to her Sirius. She was probably just scared."

James nodded, "Girls say things they don't really mean all the time Padfoot, like Lily for example-"

"I know they do, and we don't want to hear any Lily stories today Prongs." Sirius scowled. James huffed, "Well if you don't want my help…"

"No, I do." Sirius rubbed his face, "I'm just a little on edge right now. I'm going to be a father, who'd have thought?"

"Well you have dated a lot of girls." Remus pointed out.

Sirius groaned, "Still not helping Moony."

"Hey," The other boy scratched his nose with his quill absently, "I gave you advice already, go talk to Jones."

Sirius let out another groan and fell back onto his bed, "But what do I say?"

The three other boys exchanged glances, "Well Pads, none of us have really been in your situation before." James said, "So we probably don't have the best advice for dealing with your problem."

"But I'd suggest telling her you'll be there for her." Remus supplied, "And you'll support her decision, whatever it may be."

James's eyes lit up, "But don't tell her what to do. If there's one thing I've learned about girls from Lily it's that they hate that."

"That and being asked out every day." Peter snorted and even Sirius had to laugh.

* * *

"And then you just left?"

Melora nodded miserably, and the brunette in front of her shook her head, "That's cruel Lora."

"I know." She groaned, "But it happened before I could stop it."

Beatrice Walsh leaned forward and Melora knew what was coming next, "You realize what you just did, don't you?"

"I-"

"Melora Jones! You gave up having the hottest guy in Hogwarts on a leash! He could be your slave right now, but you had to have pride!" The few Hufflepuffs sitting at the table with the two girls looked down curiously, but Bea paid them no mind. "What is wrong with you?"

"Bea, you don't get it. I don't want this any more than Black does."

Beatrice waved her hand dismissively, "Not the point."

"Exactly the point, actually." Melora glared, and Bea sighed.

"Right, right, sorry. So are you going to talk to him?"

The blonde shook her head furiously, "And say what? Just kidding Black, I actually want you to be with me every step of the way and marry me so we can shag and reproduce like rabbits?"

Beatrice's eyes widened and she stared at just above Melora's head, but the girl hardly noticed. "If he wants to talk to me, he will. It's not as if I can just waltz up to Black and tell him I really do care about what he thinks and…why are you pointing, oh bollocks he's behind me, isn't he?"

"Yes he is." Melora winced at the deep voice and turned to look up at Black who had an amused grin on his face.

"Rabbits, eh? I think that can be arranged Jones." Melora was fairly sure her face was suffering from third degree burns at the moment, "Would you mind going for a walk with me?"

"I have Muggle Studies." Melora managed to squeak out, but Beatrice was quick to destroy her only escape.

"Winterberry is ill, I'll cover for you." The Hufflepuff said calmly standing up, "I'll catch you later Melora." She nodded at Black who returned it with a thankful smile.

"Loyalty my ass, she's the worst Hufflepuff ever." Melora mumbled under her breath.

If Black heard her, he said nothing, but held out his hand to help her off the bench. Melora ignored the offer and stood up on her own, swinging her bag over her shoulder and stalking out of the Great Hall. Sirius followed with ease, matching her short stomps with long strides.

"Nice girl, but I thought you were a Ravenclaw." He commented.

"We were friends before Hogwarts." Melora mumbled shifting the strap on her shoulder.

Sirius watched her, "Are you sure you're alright to carry that?"

"I'm pregnant Black, not handicap." She shot him a dirty look and he held his hands up innocently. They headed up the stairs in silence as they passed a group of giggling fifth years.

"I just wanted to talk to you." Black said once the girls had gone into the Hall, "I know you said that I didn't have to be involved if I didn't want to. But I do. Want to be involved, I mean. And if what I heard back there was correct, you want me to too. So whatever you decide to do, I'm here for you. But it's definitely your choice, and I'll support whatever you want to do."

Melora stopped walking and stared, mouth open at Sirius, who rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "What?" he asked.

The blonde bit her lip and glanced around to see if there was anyone in the hallway before daring to step over to Black and give him a tight hug, "Thanks." She mumbled into his robes.

Sirius patted her back awkwardly and the same thought passed through their minds, '_Bloody hormones_'.

* * *

A/N- Aw, Sirius is a nice guy...for now ]

Read and Review!


	5. The Ex

5-

"Have you felt it kick yet?"

"Pretty sure that won't happen for a while." Melora looked over her book at Sirius who sat opposite her, his own textbook lying forgotten next to him.

Sirius twisted his mouth in what Melora guessed was a thinking face, "Do you feel anything?"

"I feel nauseous," She offered, "a lot."

"Ew" Black wrinkled his nose and Melora chuckled and went back to her textbook. When Sirius had suggested they study for Charms together in an empty classroom, Melora must have been a fool for thinking they'd actually be doing any studying. Instead it had turned into a third degree on her health status.

"I read you have to pee often too, is that true?" Sirius got over the disgusting factor rather quickly

Melora sat her book aside, "You read?" She questioned.

Sirius looked away, "Those pamphlets Madame Moffat gave you. You left them behind when you ran out of the hospital wing."

Melora turned pink, "Oh."

They sat in silence for a minute, both too embarrassed think about the pamphlets to speak before Sirius managed to continue. "Have you decided what you wanted to do yet?"

The blonde tapped her fingers against her Charms book absently, "I know I want to have it," She replied, "But I don't know if I want to keep it or give it up for adoption."

Sirius nodded, "Do your parents know yet?"

"I have a meeting with Dumbledore first, then he'll call them in. Yours too probably, have you told them?"

The boy winced, "That would involve speaking to them, which I have no plans to do anytime soon."

Melora suddenly remembered the big topic coming back from summer holidays after fifth year, Sirius Black running away to the Potters and being disowned. She felt like an idiot, "Oh Sirius, I'm sorry."

He laughed a bit too loudly, "It's fine." He said brushing her concern off, "I have written to the Potters to tell them though. Haven't been able to send it yet, but I figure better me tell them then James. Bloke's got a mouth bigger than a fifth year girl."

Melora giggled. Somewhere down the corridor a chime rang signifying curfew.

"Well we'd better get back." Sirius said gathering his things. Melora followed suit.

"This was nice," She admitted, "You're not half-bad Black."

He grinned, "Thanks Melly."

Her smile quickly melted into a frown, "Okay now you're pushing it."

He straightened, "Right sorry," And held the door open for her. "So when you feel it kick, will you tell me?"

"I'm telling you now it won't be for awhile." Melora replied. But seeing the nervous expression on Sirius's face, she couldn't help but throw him a bone, "My first appointment in St. Mungo's is coming up though." She shifted from foot to foot as they entered the hallway, "Moffat made it for me. If you'd like to come, I'm sure Dumbledore would be okay with it."

Sirius nodded eagerly, "Yeah, definitely."

"Okay, see you later." Melora smiled and hurried off in the direction of the Ravenclaw common room. Perhaps this whole thing wouldn't be too intolerable.

* * *

Melora wasn't very sure this entire thing would be totally tolerable anymore. In fact, she was ready to kick the baby out herself.

And, like most of Melora's recent problems, it was entirely Stephen Walters's fault. Also Eleanor Harvey's, but honestly, Melora couldn't bring herself to hate her for pure idiocy. How in the world was she even in Ravenclaw?

But back to the issue at hand, Melora really, really hated Stephen Walters, and from the look on his face right now, the feeling was mutual.

"Well?" He hissed, "Is it true? Is it mine?"

Melora forced herself into the present. Stephen had cornered her after Ancient Runes in the corridor and started demanding to know why Eleanor had congratulated him on becoming a father this morning. He was currently holding on to her upper arms tightly, to ensure she wouldn't run away. Melora gave him a glare and commanded, "Let go." He surprisingly obeyed.

"Come on Melly," Melora scowled, why did everyone insist on that hideous nickname? "Was Eleanor telling the truth?"

"If she was, what difference would it make to you?" Melora hissed, "You haven't talked to me since I caught you with Stacy."

Stephen let out a disbelieving scoff, "Like I wouldn't let you come back if you were having my child?"

Melora tried to keep her anger under control, but it was getting harder by the second. Why in Merlin's name had she ever liked him?

"How could it be yours Stephen?" Melora finally said exasperated, "We never, you know…"

Stephen frowned, "Are you saying you cheated on me?"

"Only after you cheated on me!" She defended herself.

"That was one kiss Melly! You slept with some other guy!"

"One kiss?" Melora scoffed, "You were snogging for at least 3 hours."

"Yeah well, halfway into it you caught us and broke it off with me anyway, so I didn't really see the point in stopping."

"You're a pig." The blonde crossed her arms, "And if the second portion of you cheating didn't count, then neither does what I did because it was after we broke up too." A few tears managed to escape Melora's eyes and Stephen softened upon seeing them.

"You know Melora; we could just tell people it was mine."

"What?" Melora wiped her cheeks furiously, "No!"

"No what? You don't think it's the perfect solution? You get to have a legitimate kid, not one spawn from a one night stand you don't even remember." She glared, "Oh don't give me that look," He said, "I knew you were pissed in more than one way when you yelled at me and Stacy the second go around."

"And what do you get out of this perfect deal? Get to tell your buddies you managed to shag someone?"

Stephen chuckled, "Not a completely bad solution, eh?"

Melora ground her teeth and took a step back, "I would never ever let this child be yours Stephen Walters."

"Well then have fun saying goodbye to your reputation. I hope you and the bastard kid's father are happy together." Stephen sneered.

Melora just turned and ran off.

* * *

A/N- Nice guy that Stephen


	6. The Rumors

6-

Melora should have known it was too good to last. Especially since Eleanor Bloody Harvey knew. Really, she should have been more aware.

It had only been a week. She wasn't showing or anything (although she did feel a bit bloated). And she only talked to Black slightly more than usual in public. Of course the usual was never, but the point remained.

People were convinced she was pregnant. And since the whole school already knew about her very public break-up with Stephen, they assumed the father was someone else. Add in the nasty bit where Evangeline Rodent (really Rovant, but Melora preferred her version) had overheard some of Beatrice's and Melora's conversation and Stephen telling his friends about their fight in the hallway, and you have the recipe for disaster Melora wanted to avoid.

"I hear they're running off together once the term's over."

"No, no, he only did it to piss off his family 'cause she's muggleborn."

"Of course he had to pay her to do it."

"What a bitch! Who wouldn't sleep with Black for free?"

"Merlin Diane, could you be more of a slag?"

Melora covered her head with the textbook she was attempting to read and groaned. Bloody fifth years, didn't they have anything better to do then gossip in the library about her?

There had to be a way to stop the rumors, even if they were true.

"Uh, Melora? Are you alright?" Melora peered up from her book cover at Remus Lupin who was shifting awkwardly from foot to foot in front of her table.

"Just peachy Lupin" She replied sarcastically. Remus just gave a small smile and motioned towards the chair across from Melora, "Mind if I sit?"

Melora shrugged, "Feel free, but I have to warn you, I'm the hot topic of the week. Wouldn't want you to end up in the mill yourself."

Remus chuckled, "I think I'll live."

"Yeah, you and Black." Melora mumbled setting her book aside, "Why is it that I'm the bad guy here? I didn't seduce him or anything. It takes two to make a baby you know."

"Er, yes I know." Remus scratched the back of his head, "Sirius is actually the reason I came to talk to you."

"Finally wants out, does he?" Melora grumbled, "Couldn't even make it a week, prick."

"Not quite." Remus sighed, "He wanted to know when that Healer appointment is, so he could come."

Melora blushed and muttered an apology, "I don't know if it's hormones or what, but I'm rather, well, bitchy lately." Remus raised a brow at her choice of words and Melora smiled, "Beatrice's words not mine."

"Beatrice Walsh, right?"

"Yeah, so why couldn't Black ask me this all important question himself?"

Remus picked the book Melora had been reading up and flipped though the pages idly, "He'd rather I didn't tell you."

Melora narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but didn't question him further, "Tell him next Tuesday."

Remus nodded and stood up handing back her book as he did so, "Thanks Melly"

Melora barely had time to blink before the Gryffindor disappeared and could only shout after the boy, "Don't call me that!"

Her response was Remus's laugh and a shout from Madam Pince to watch her tone.

* * *

"I do hope this will teach you a lesson about attacking another student in the hall Mister Black."

Sirius looked from the towering stack of dirty cauldrons to his Transfiguration professor and Head of House, Minerva McGonagall, and back again. "Looking doubtful by the minute Minnie."

Professor McGonagall pursed her lips but gave no response, so Sirius continued, "I know you owe Ol' Sluggy a few favors, but really?" He gestured to the tower in front of him and McGonagall managed a small smile at the sight of Sirius's pain.

"As it was one of his House's students that was attacked, it was only fair he was given some say in you punishment."

Sirius rolled his eyes, but held his tongue for once. McGonagall nodded sharply, "Right then, I'll be back in two hours to see how you're coming along." Her hand moved towards her robes pocket where the thin rod shape of Sirius's wand could be seen, "And no magic."

She strode out of the room quickly and Sirius rolled his eyes again and stuck out his tongue at her back. "Of course no magic you old hag, you stole my wand."

The dark-haired boy turned to the stack once more and reached up to grab the highest one, needing to get on his toes to reach it, despite a 6'1" frame. The inside of the cauldron was a shiny green as opposed to its usual black and several small eyes and limbs were stuck to the bottom.

"Fantastic" Sirius sighed to himself, "I defend the mother of my child against Slytherin scum, and I get detention."

"I think the boils may have been a bit excessive." Sirius's head shot up to see Melora leaning against the doorframe with a smile playing on her lips.

Sirius narrowed his eyes at her, "Lupin..." He growled.

Melora laughed lightly and entered the classroom, taking a seat in an empty desk by Sirius who began to scrub furiously at his cauldron.

"Not quite," She admitted, "I may have tracked down your friend Peter."

"Traitor" Sirius mumbled, "When I get my hands on him…"

"Easy tiger." Melora leaned her head on her propped elbow, "So why didn't you want me to know?"

Sirius shrugged, "It was stupid."

"It was nice." She lifted her head and crossed her arms, "Chivalrous, brave, rash, and maybe a little stupid. Which, last time I checked, was a Gryffindor. We little old Ravenclaws merely hide under books in the face of gossip." Melora thought back to how Remus had found her this afternoon, "Quite literally sometimes."

"Jones, are you trying to thank me?" Sirius looked up from his cleaning with a toothy grin.

"Don't let it go to your head." Melora smirked, "But yes, thank you."

"Anytime"

"I just hope our child gets more sense from me then he or she does you, or else they'll be scrubbing cauldrons all night just like Daddy." Melora said standing up and stretching her arms above her head.

Sirius tried to ignore the still flat stomach now showing between her skirt and shirt, "Ha ha." He replied dryly, "So will Mummy be helping the little tyke with the cleaning?"

"And risk my health?" Melora eyes widened in mock awe, "Black think of your child!"

Sirius tossed the first cauldron away, deciding it clean enough and reached for another one. "How could I be so inconsiderate?" He replied.

Melora just laughed, "I'll see you Tuesday Black."

"Later Jones"

* * *

A/N- I apparently have a low opinion of 5th years, this is the third chapter in which I've made them annoying

Review please!

Melora's mother even seemed slightly excited at the idea of having a grandbaby.

"And," Sirius said as he walked Melora back to the Ravenclaw Dorms that night, "I didn't get punched in the face. So I think it went great."

Chapter 9-


	7. The Tests

7- 

"Aw, sounds like you two are getting along." Bea smiled at her blond friend who was telling her the story of Sirius's detention. The two were sitting at the Hufflepuff table early Tuesday morning before Melora's appointment. Melora hadn't attempted to sit with her own House since her fight with Stephen.

"I know, it's so weird, like this thing," Melora gestured to her stomach, "Is magically pulling us closer."

"I'm no expert on pregnancy, but I'm pretty sure it can't do that Lora."

Melora shrugged, "Well it's only been a week and a half, and I already like him better than Stephen."

Beatrice bit her lip nervously as Melora took a bite of her eggs. "Just be careful alright Lora?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you tend to get in over your head with guys when you first start to fancy them."

Melora nearly spit out her eggs, "What are you talking about?" She cried, "I don't fancy him!"

"You don't?" Bea looked doubtful.

"No! I see him more as a…a brother figure." Melora dropped her fork, suddenly much less hungry.

"A brother whose baby you're having? Nice family." Bea snorted, "And that's not what it sounded like to me when you were debating telling him."

"Yes, well, that was before." Melora sniffed. Now that her appetite was gone, her nausea was creeping up.

"Before he agreed to help out?"

"He's been really sweet."

Bea just sighed, "So how'd your meeting with Dumbledore go?"

"More awkward than when I told Black. Less than when I told Moffat." Melora winced, "He'll be talking to my parents when I'm at my healer's appointment."

"And Black's folks?"

"Non-responsive. I think the Potters have offered to come in their place though."

"You think?"

Melora shrugged, "No one tells me anything," And stood up. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to the lavatory to throw up and then heading to St. Mungo's."

Beatrice offered her friend an encouraging smile, "Good luck."

* * *

"The procedure's very simple and perfectly harmless." Healer Betty Jacoby smiled at Melora who looked up from the examination table skeptically. Next to her, Sirius stared at the posters around the room. There were more diagrams then in Moffat's pamphlet, and he was beginning to feel a bit sick himself.

"Just a spell?" Melora asked biting her bottom lip, "And I won't feel a thing?"

"Not a thing!" Healer Jacoby was a plump woman with red cheeks and a perpetual smile. Just the sort of woman Melora thought should be dealing with babies, so she trusted her and laid her head back. Sirius offered his hand and Melora took it with a slight smile. Neither teen noticed the healer's knowing-smile.

"Alright then, _proventus_" Healer Jacoby flicked her wand and the quill on the desk next to the exam table rose above the parchment next to it, began to glow pink, and lowered onto the parchment, writing so fast it became a white blur. After a moment of two, it stopped and Healer Jacoby grabbed the parchment.

Melora tightened her grasp on Sirius' hand unconsciously.

"Well, it looks like things are coming along wonderfully!" Jacoby beamed, "A month and a half along, the baby's healthy, and so are you! Your baby is due in July."

The Healer slid the parchment into a folder and motioned for Melora and Sirius to get up. Melora let go off Sirius' hand and he balled it into a fist before spreading his fingers wide. That girl had one hard grasp; she nearly cut his circulation off.

"Miss Jones, why don't you get changed and I'll meet you back in my office."

Melora nodded eager to get out off the hospital gown.

"Mr. Black, you can come with me."

Sirius was a little more tentative, but followed the healer all the same out of the examination room and down the white corridor to her small office.

There they sat in awkward silence as Healer Jacoby scribbled down notes in Melora's file and Sirius stared at the posters on the wall. There were less than in the exam room, but Sirius was still positive he'd learned way more then he ever wanted to about the female body at this appointment.

Sirius let out an unintentional sigh and let his eyes drift over to the window behind the healer's desk. What was he doing here? How could this possibly be happening?

"_Take a look over at some of those posters; those might give you a clue_." A dry voice in his head that sounded a bit like Prongs and a bit like Melora said.

The first question remained. It wasn't as if Jones was his first time, hell, she wasn't even his girlfriend. But then again, he was responsible for this mess, at least partially. When she had given him the option to get out, it had felt wrong even to think about it.

Melora slipped in the office quietly, back in her muggle skirt and jumper, and took the seat next to Sirius in front of Healer Jacoby's desk.

Jacoby made a few more notes on her parchment and then looked up at the two with a bright smile.

"So since both of you are of age and considered adults, the decision of where to go from here is completely yours, which is why Madame Moffat and I decided it would be best if I met with you alone. Of course, I wasn't aware that Mr. Black would be coming as well—"

"I'll go along with whatever Melora wants." Sirius interrupted.

Healer Jacoby raised a brow, but nodded, "Very well, Ms. Jones, have you had any thoughts on what you'd like to do about the baby?"

Melora bit her bottom lip nervously, "I want to have it." She said, "But I don't know if I want to keep it or give it up for adoption."

Jacoby nodded again, "Well there are plenty parents both wizard and muggle who would gladly provide a loving home for the baby, but you have plenty of time to look into that in the future. A whole 7 months."

Melora smiled, but her stomach did a flip she knew couldn't be blamed on the baby. A whole 7 months. A lot could happen in 7 months.

* * *

A/N- My timeline for the story might be a little off, but regardless, Melora's around 2 months at this point

Sorry it's been a while, I wanted to catch up on before getting further ahead on here.

Also, a note to **Cassie**- I couldn't respond to your review because it was anonymous or some such, so I wanted to let you know that yes! it was on purpose. Haha, I think originally Remus did give him up, and Sirius called him a traitor, but then I was like, Peter would make way more sense. Thanks for the review!

And thanks to everyone else who also reviewed! Please do so again. It makes me really really happy


	8. The Parents

8-

Melora and Sirius flooed from St. Mungo's to The Three Broomsticks where a carriage met them to take them back to Hogwarts.

As soon as they got in, Melora realized just what was waiting for them at the end of the trip.

"Oh Bloody Merlin," She groaned, "My parents are going to kill me."

Sirius's eyes widened a bit, "Shit," He said, "I completely forgot about that."

Melora let out another groan and Sirius ran his hand through his hair, "Your dad's not huge is he?"

The blonde raised an eyebrow, "Not particularly, why?"

"Just debating on how long I'll be in the Hospital Wing after he beats me to a pulp."

Melora rolled her eyes, "Oh my dad's not that violent."

Sirius let out a sigh of relief, and Melora couldn't help herself, "My mum on the other hand, whew, you best watch out for her right hook."

The dark-haired boy's eyes grew wide and Melora giggled, "I'm kidding." She smirked. Sirius glared at her, "Ha ha."

As they pulled up to the castle, Melora did her best to swallow her fear. Sirius helped her out of the carriage, and they slowly headed inside.

But despite their best efforts to make the walk to Dumbledore's office go as slowly as possible, Melora and Sirius were there in no time.

Professor McGonagall was there to meet them, but didn't say anything beyond, "Your parents are in the Headmaster's office," before turning to the gargoyle statues behind her, "Peppermint Imps."

The statues jumped aside, revealing a staircase that McGonagall ushered the pair into before disappearing behind them.

Melora had never been to the Headmaster's office before, but Sirius had. Yet he still felt a looming sense of dread as they headed up the stairs. Yes, he had been in trouble and been sent to the office before, but never for something he couldn't talk himself out of, even in fifth year.

But he seriously doubted they would be receiving a detention for their actions, or even that they would lose points. This was bigger.

Sirius allowed the brief idea of being expelled pass through his mind. No, if he hadn't been expelled for nearly killing a student, he doubted he would be expelled for getting a fellow student pregnant.

Somehow, none of these thoughts calmed his nerves, and Sirius was just as jittery as Melora as they reached the door, which swung open at their presence.

"Come in," Dumbledore's voice echoed through the staircase and Melora and Sirius obeyed.

Dumbledore's office was filled with its usual trinkets, but none caught Sirius's eye. He was too busy staring at the four adults seated in front of the Headmaster's desk.

Mr. and Mrs. Potter were there along with two others, whom he assumed to be Melora's parents. She was right that her father wasn't particularly big, and although none of the adults looked happy to be there, none of them looked ready to punch him.

"Ah, Miss Jones, Mr. Black, please take a seat." Two more chairs appeared between the sets of parents and Melora and Sirius took their respective seats.

"Now, I've just explained to your parents the situation," Dumbledore said glancing between the six.

Maryanne Jones turned to her daughter with tears in her eyes, "Is it true Melora?"

Melora tried to ignore the guilt and heartbreak of disappointing her parents eating her up inside. "Yes," she whispered, "I'm so sorry Mum."

Mrs. Potter looked over the two teens, "What were you thinking?"

"I guess we weren't." Sirius admitted.

Four heads shook simultaneously in disappointment

"So where do we go from here?" Mr. Jones turned to Dumbledore, but it was Melora who answered.

"I'm not due until July, which means I can finish the school year should I be allowed," She paused and glanced at Dumbledore who gave no sign of his choice, "And when I have the baby, I'll decide whether I feel I'm ready to raise a child or I'm not. In that case Healer Jacoby said there would be plenty of families willing to adopt."

"Well," Mrs. Potter said after a few seconds of silence, "You certainly sound ready."

"That's cause she's Ravenclaw." Sirius chimed in.

Melora punched him in the arm and turned to the Potters, "I don't think I'm ready quite yet, but I've got 7 months to prepare. And Sirius said he'd be willing to help."

A smile settled on Professor Dumbledore's face. "I have no objections to Miss Jones continuing her education here at Hogwarts. I'm also plenty willing to give her the full support of our staff and organize transportation to her Healer appointments."

Mr. and Mrs. Jones looked at Dumbledore in amazement. "Oh, thank you so much Headmaster." Maryanne gushed.

"So you're okay with this?" Melora asked softly.

"I don't know if okay is the right word, but we're certainly not going to turn you out on the streets because of it." replied her father.

Melora's eyes filled up with tears and she leaned over to give her parents a hug.

Sirius looked at the Potters nervously, and Mr. Potter laughed, "You know you always have a home with us Sirius."

Melora and Sirius left the office after several more minutes of discussion considerably happier. It was agreed that the pregnancy should be kept quiet for now and both felt a considerably amount of relief, now that they knew none of their parents were extremely upset.

Melora's mother even seemed slightly excited at the idea of having a grandbaby.

"And," Sirius said as he walked Melora back to the Ravenclaw Dorms that night, "I didn't get punched in the face. So I think it went great."

* * *

A/N- Short sucky chapter, I know, but I had to get that parental aspect out of the way

Thanks for the reviews! Please continue to send them my way =D


	9. The Riddle

9- 

"So do you want to find out what the baby's going to be before it's born?"

"I'm going to go with human." Melora grinned.

"Ha ha, I meant whether it's a boy or a girl." Sirius rolled his eyes.

Melora took a bite of her pie and shook her head, "No, I think that would make it harder."

Sirius frowned, "What do you mean?"

They were in the kitchens. Melora had to skip breakfast in order to finish her Charms essay. When she'd mentioned it to Sirius, he suggested they skive off History of Magic to go get pie. Melora had never been down to the kitchens before, but she assumed Sirius had, as the house elves all knew him by name.

"Well," Melora swallowed, "Right now it's just a baby. No different from some passing baby on the street. But if I know the gender, I'm going to start thinking of names, and then it won't just be some baby, it'll be George or Annie and it'll be personal…." She trailed off, "And then I won't be able to give it away."

Sirius thought about this for a moment, "I like Annie, but George sounds like an old person's name."

The blonde glared at him and Sirius smirked, "If it's any consolation, your boobs have definitely gotten bigger."

Melora flicked some pie at him and Sirius ducked it with a laugh, "Sorry, sorry."

They sat in silence for a moment while Melora finished her food. She was surprised at how easy she and Black had been getting along since the Healer's appointment. Although they rarely spent time together in public, between classes or at night they often met up and Melora was beginning to enjoy their little chats.

"You all done?" Melora snapped out of her reverie and looked across the table at Sirius, who grinned at her.

"Yeah," Melora pushed her empty pie tin away and hopped off her stool, "I'm off to meet Bea at the library."

Sirius stood up and followed her as they headed out of the kitchens, "I'll come with. I'm supposed to meet Moon-ah, Remus there."

Melora paused and gave him a bewildered look. It wasn't as if she didn't want to spend time with him in public. But the rumors about her being pregnant had died down quickly, and the last thing Melora wanted was for them to spring back up again. Since nobody had ever confirmed the rumor, most students lost interest. And the few that knew the truth, thank Merlin, were keeping their mouths shut. So the less time Melora and Sirius spent together, the less it was suspected she actually was having his child.

Sirius seemed to be reading her mind, because he winced and rubbed the back of his neck, "I'll walk behind you?" He suggested, taking a few steps back.

Melora bit her lip anxiously, she had been the one to impose the no being seen together rule, but it seemed cruel to do this to Sirius when all he had done was be nice to her.

"No," she said, "It's fine."

Sirius looked surprised, but happy, and caught up to her. Their walk to the library was met with little disruption, besides a few Gryffindor girls that sent them suspicious looks.

However, when they got there, Melora and Sirius found they weren't the only ones mixing it up today. Remus and Bea were sitting together, going over a book with their heads close.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Sirius said when they reached the table.

Remus and Bea's heads both shot up in surprise, just barely missing one another.

"Nothing!" they both exclaimed.

Melora hid her giggle behind her hand. Sirius plopped down in the seat next to Remus and Melora slid into the chair by Bea.

"So what are we studying?" She asked in a teasing voice.

Bea shot her an irritated look, but Melora had never gotten revenge on her Hufflepuff friend for abandoning her, so she ignored it.

"Nothing." The brunette replied the same time Remus answered, "Herbology."

Melora's grin widened. "Didn't you drop Herbology last year Bea?"

Bea attempted to stutter out an excuse, but Sirius snatched the book from under Remus and read the title aloud, "_Hairy Snout, Human Heart_."

An odd look came over Sirius's face, and he handed Remus back his book without another word. Melora frowned.

"I've never heard of it," she said.

"It came out over the summer. It was written anonymously by a werewolf all about the prejudice he's faced in the Wizarding World," Bea explained, looking quite uncomfortable, "I've been wanting to read it, but Hogwarts doesn't have a copy. When I was waiting for you, I spotted Remus with it and he was showing me some of his favorite parts."

Melora brightened, "That's nice," she said slyly, looking over at Sirius, "What do you say you and I study over at that table and leave these two alone to look at their book?"

"Hm? Oh sure Melly," Sirius replied, eyes not leaving Remus who was staring determinedly down at the table.

Melora rolled her eyes at the nickname, but said nothing and dragged Sirius away to the aforementioned table.

"Well that was horribly embarrassing," Bea murmured.

Remus nodded. "Like being caught snogging by your parents."

Both teens went bright red at the comparison.

After laughing over Bea and Remus for a while, and getting very little homework done, Melora and Sirius left the library and headed off to their respective common rooms.

It wasn't particularly late, but Melora was exhausted and eager to take a nap before meeting Beatrice for dinner. Despite being tired nearly 24/7, Melora wasn't getting much sleep. She was desperate to avoid her dorm mates and fellow Ravenclaws, who seemed to be looking down on her constantly these days, so she stayed out as late as possible before sneaking back into her dorm.

She also woke up earlier. To make up for it, she snuck back when she knew most people were at classes and napped. She was doing fairly well at avoiding, but today, Melora wasn't so lucky.

Stacy Scott stood at the top of the stairs in front of the door to the common room, her arms crossed, and her foot tapping impatiently against the stone steps.

"I'm telling you I don't know the answer!" She yelled, auburn curls bouncing in annoyance at the eagle knocker that remained indifferent to her plight, "I just need to get my textbook; I'm going to be late to Herbology!"

Melora considered heading back to the library and napping there, but Stacy looked almost ready to cry and her bed really was much more comfortable than the tables in the library. With a heavy sigh, she continued up the staircase towards her ex-best friend.

Stacy looked up in relief when she heard the footsteps, but an uncomfortable expression took its place when she realized who was coming. Melora ignored this and focused on the eagle knocker that repeated the riddle: "If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you haven't got me. What am I?"

Although the knocker often came up with new riddles, by 7th year, most Ravenclaws knew the answers to the majority of its questions. Stacy seemed to have gotten the short end of the stick today, as this was a newer riddle, but Melora had heard it already and quickly answered.

"A secret."

"Very good," the knocker replied and the door swung open. Stacy climbed through first shooting Melora an awkward, but thankful glance over her shoulder. Melora nodded in return and as Stacy ran up to the girl's dormitory, presumably to get her textbook. Melora collapsed in an armchair. When Stacy came back down, she'd go up; the last thing she wanted to deal with was confrontation.

* * *

A/N- Sorry for the delay. Review please!


	10. The Morning Sickness

10-

Melora groaned into the porcelain bowl and prayed to God that that was the end of it.

A familiar lurch took over her stomach and Melora leaned over again, empting her stomach of the remainder of her breakfast. Merlin, it had been a bad idea to try to eat those sausages.

After a few more minutes of groaning, Melora decided she had nothing more left in her and slowly stood up. She flushed the toilet and headed out of the stall to clean herself up.

The morning sickness was becoming more and more regular, although this didn't make it any easier to deal with. Beatrice tried to help the best she could, but this onslaught occurred during NEWT Potions, which Bea didn't take.

Melora wrinkled her nose at the thought of the class. The smell of potions bothered her stomach enough normally, now it was simply unbearable.

The blonde girl sighed at her reflection and attempted to fix her hair, which she had quickly tied back to avoid vomit, an effort that proved unsuccessful. Bits of her breakfast had wound up in her blond locks and even magic seemed unable to get the hair clean.

With another sigh, Melora gave up on her hair and attempted to straiten her uniform. Although it still fit, the skirt felt tight around her waist, the buttons of her shirt looked as though they might pop off at any moment, and her robes made her feel like she couldn't move her arms.

Tears welled up in Melora's eyes and she tried to hold back her sobs. She was never skinny, but now she was on her way to becoming a cow! Combine that with her disgusting hair and she was turning into a downright troll.

"Melora? Are you alright? Professor Slughorn wanted me to check on you." Melora considered running for cover back into the stalls, but Lily Evans entered the bathroom much too quickly.

Although Melora didn't know if the surprised expression on Lily's face was due to seeing the normally composed Ravenclaw on the brink of hysteria or Melora's physical appearance, the blonde took it as the latter and promptly burst into the tears she had tried so hard to hold back.

Lily ran to her side, "There, there!" she said, "It's alright."

Melora shook her head and let out another fresh burst of tears, "No it's not!" she cried.

Lily, for her credit, did not run away. She leaned Melora against the wall and quickly fixed her hair with a flick of her wand. She then set about getting toilet paper for Melora to dab her eyes and running nose with. Later, Melora decided Lily Evans would be the first one she was turning to in a crisis.

"There, there," she repeated over and over again as Melora calmed down, "do you want me to tell Slughorn you need to go to the hospital wing?"

Melora nodded gratefully. Lily smiled, "I'll be right back."

When Lily returned, the two girls headed out of the dungeons and towards the Gryffindor common room.

"James said that Sirius is there," she explained, "Although I don't know how he knows."

"You two finally dating?" Melora asked with a small smile. Before her own drama had unfolded, the topic of the year had been that Lily Evans had finally said yes to James Potter when he asked her out.

Lily flushed a bright red color that nearly blended in with her hair. "I wouldn't say we're dating…" she trailed off.

Melora giggled, her mood quickly improving, "Sorry, I was just curious. My friend Bea owes me two galleons if you are by the end of the year."

Lily rolled her eyes, "You'd be surprised how many people have said similar things to be in the past few months." Both girls laughed.

"So what about you and Sirius?" Lily said when their laughter died down.

The blonde bit hr lip and fidgeted with her fingers, "James told you, huh?"

"Well, he sort of confirmed it."

Melora sighed, "We're friends. He's been really supportive."

Lily nodded, "I thought so. He seems like he's getting a little more responsible over the last few weeks."

Melora gave a small smile, "I know."

By now, they had reached the Gryffindor common room, where the boy in question was waiting outside.

"Hey," he rushed to Melora's side and Lily took a few steps back, "Everything okay?"

Melora shrugged him off, "I'm fine. Just a little morning sickness, Lily helped me."

Sirius fidgeted with his hands and sent a grateful look towards the redhead who smiled in return. "It was no problem," she said.

He turned back towards Melora, "And you're sure it was fine?"

She nodded, "A little sick, a little moody, otherwise, I'm just peachy." She yawned and Sirius's eyes widened.

"Are you tired?"

Melora sighed impatiently and gave him a little glare, "I'm fine." But she yawned again and Sirius shook his head.

"Come on, you can take a nap in my bed."

Melora scoffed, "Like hell I will." The last thing she needed was the Gryffindor house seeing her going in or coming out of the 7th year boy's dorm.

Sirius opened his mouth to protest, but Lily cut him off, "You could nap in my dorm Melora, since we're already here. My dorm mates are all at class."

Melora looked hesitant, but Lily's encouraging smile changed her mind. "Alright, I suppose it wouldn't hurt." She followed the two Gryffindors through their portrait hole, which unlike the Ravenclaw door, just opened with a password.

The woman in the portrait gave Melora a suspicious look as she passed through, but Sirius just grinned when she asked if it was okay for her to be there. "As long as you don't go running down the halls, screaming that the password's 'Grindylow', I think we're fine. Besides the password changes every month."

Melora nodded and began to inspect her surroundings. Although she loved the high ceilings and view of the Ravenclaw Tower, the Gryffindor common room had a homey aspect about it that she also liked.

Lily led her over to the stairs and they headed up to her dorm. This looked more or less the same as the Ravenclaw seventh-year dorms with different colored bedding. And there was the addition of a light-brown haired girl reading on her bed.

"Mary!" Lily cried as she spotted the girl.

Mary Macdonald jumped at the noise, dropping her book onto the floor, "Oh Lily! You scared me." She clutched her robes at her chest and let out a sigh.

Lily raised a brow, "Don't you have Care of Magical Creatures now?"

Mary flushed, "Well, I…uhm," her eyes widened, "I could say the same of you! You have Potions!"

Both girls eyed one another. Melora stepped from behind Lily and smiled unsurely, "Hi Mary, I'm Melora."

Mary dropped her suspicious look and grinned, "I know who you are silly."

Melora relaxed a bit. "I had an upset stomach in Potions and Lily offered to let me have a nap in her dorm," she explained.

Mary gave her a sympathetic smile, "Morning sickness, huh?"

The blonde turned to Lily, who blushed. "We may have a gossiped a bit," she admitted, "And when James confirmed it to me, I may have mentioned it."

"But we don't talk about it often!" Mary exclaimed, "I just love babies so I was really curious."

"Oh," Melora said, "That's…nice."

An awkward silence fell over the girls until Lily cleared her throat. "So that's my bed next to Mary and the window, we're going to go down to the common room and discuss Mary's skiving Magical Creatures. Just holler if you need anything."

Melora nodded and made her way onto the bed as the other two girls left, a small smile on her face. So what if she was sick every day and becoming a cow? She had Beatrice, Sirius, and now Lily and maybe even Mary.

Somehow, she was going to make it through this.

* * *

A/N- Man it took me a while to get Lily in this story. Enjoy and Review!


	11. The Holidays

11-

"So how have you been feeling Melora?"

Melora stared out the window of St. Mungo's at the gray London sky and smiled. "I've been alright. A lot of throwing up, and I've been a little moody, but besides that I think I'm fine."

It was almost Christmas. Melora, home for the holidays, had gone with her mother to her second Healer appointment. Sirius had written to ask if she wanted him to come, but she decided they had been lucky enough at their meeting with Dumbledore. If Sirius came with her, her parents might be a little less forgiving.

Healer Jacoby nodded and scribbled a few notes down on her chart, "Good, that's all normal. Your morning sickness should subside in a few weeks."

The blonde nodded and focused back on the Healer, who was now mixing a few ingredients together in a beaker. Melora's mother, Maryanne, was in the chair next to the examination table, looking nervous. Maryanne was naturally a sort-of nervous woman, whose blonde hair was streaked with gray. Like Melora, she had been in Ravenclaw, and Melora's father liked to tell her about the panic attacks her mother used to have during exams.

Maryanne never found these memories to be very funny.

"So Melora, drink this," Healer Jacoby handed her the potion she had been mixing, "and then we'll check on the baby."

Melora did as she was told and winced at the taste of the potion. Healer Jacoby then muttered a spell and gave her wand a flick. An image floated over Melora's stomach. It was difficult to tell what it was at first, but her mother and the Healer pointed out the small outline of the baby.

"Ten fingers and ten toes, and that's the heartbeat right there." Healer Jacoby explained, "This is a nice strong baby, I can tell." Tears welled up in Maryanne's eyes and Melora smiled at the sight.

* * *

Christmas at the Jones' was an uneventful affair.

Maryanne was a muggleborn witch, so Christmas evening was usually spent at her parents' house, with little to no conversation as they had a distrust of the magic that they believed took their daughter away. Melora had decided they should add her pregnancy to the list of things not to talk about with her maternal grandparents, so the dinner went quietly and Melora's grandparents gave her a hideous jumper she would never wear and that was that.

Both Walter Jones's parents had died a few years ago, although he did have a brother who was married and living in Whales. They had a daughter, Gwenog, who Melora adored, although Gwen was 8 years younger. But they were off on holiday in Australia, so the morning was spent with just Melora and her parents, opening presents and enjoying the light snow that had begun to fall outside from the comfort of their warm home.

In addition to money from her aunt and uncle, a hand drawn card from Gwen, some more clothes (maternal wear, Melora noted with distaste), a new potions kit, and a set of quills she had been eyeing from her parents, Beatrice had sent Melora chocolates and a book entitled, "Tips for the Busy Pregnant Witch", which made her smile.

However, later that day, the holiday got a little more eventful.

Melora had been bundled up on her couch, reading her new book and eating some gingerbread cookies her mother had made, when the familiar tapping of an owl against the window caught her attention. Melora made a face at this, but got up nonetheless for the owl.

It had been carrying a rather large package addressed to her in Sirius's now familiar scrawl. Melora rolled her eyes and took the package, giving the owl a treat before sending it on its way. She should have been expecting this.

Before the holidays, she and Sirius had decided not to exchange gifts. She had felt guilty afterwards, being mostly motivated by Bea and Lily's comments that she and Sirius were in a relationship, but it was a mutual decision.

Or at least she thought it was. Apparently, Sirius had felt differently.

With a heavy sigh, Melora tore off the brown paper covering and held up her present. It was a bright magenta jumper, more hideous than the one from her grandparents. Across the chest, 'Baby Mama' was knitted in bright blue.

Melora flushed at the present and bundled it into a ball, shoving it under her arm as she fumbled to read the letter that had fallen out with it. If her parents caught sight of the jumper, she would die of embarrassment.

_Dear Melora, _

_I know we agreed on no gifts, but James thinks when girls say that, it's a test and if I didn't get you something, I was going to fail it. I know that's a load, but James can be a right prick when you don't listen to him and Lily's over the Potters' for the holidays and he got her to agree with him that I should get you a gift and she's even worse than James when you don't listen to her. So I decided to make you a sweater, which I think came out rather well considering how rubbish I am at knitting charms. Sorry about the colors though, they were the only ones Mrs. Potter had._

_Also, don't feel like you had to get me a gift, because I only did this to get James and Lily to shut up. _

_-Sirius_

Melora smiled as she finished the letter. It was a funny story, but she did still feel like a she should get him a present.

She spread the sweater out again and traced the letters with her finger. Yes, she should get him a present and Melora knew exactly what it would be.

* * *

The night of Christmas day, Sirius, James, and Lily lounged around the fire in the Potter's living room. They had gone out earlier for a snowball fight with Remus and Peter who had visited for a few hours, and were now exhausted.

"Do you think Melora liked the sweater?" Sirius asked with a lazy smirk, watching the flames of the fire flicker.

Lily rolled her eyes, "When I agreed with James that you should send her something, I meant sending her a nice card or a book on pregnancy, not the most hideous piece of clothing on the planet."

James laughed, "Really? Cause that was exactly what I meant."

Sirius nodded, "Yeah, I definitely would rather get a homemade sweater than some ruddy old book."

"I still think you should have made her matching socks," James sniggered.

Lily opened her mouth to retort, but was cut off by an owl tapping on the window. James stood up and let the bird in. Like the owl that had shown up at Melora's several hours earlier, this one had a brown paper package with Sirius's name on it tied to its leg with a letter. James tossed the package to Sirius and opened the letter, while Lily took care of the owl.

"Dear Sirius," James read aloud, "Thanks for the sweater. Tell James he was wrong, I really meant we shouldn't exchange gifts, but since you insisted, I think this makes up for my lack of gift earlier. Melora" He and Lily looked at Sirius, who opened the package.

Inside was a mug the same magenta color of Melora's jumper. On it in bright sparkly blue letters were the words '#1 Dad'.

Lily and James laughed loudly at the sight of the mug. Sirius inspected it with a grin. "Do you think she'd wear the jumper, if I promised to use this?" he asked.

* * *

A/N- In the 6th chapter, one rumor is that Sirius only slept with Melora because she was muggleborn. But in this chapter, you can clearly see both her parents are magic. I'm going to go with the student spreading rumor doesn't know Melora very well, beyond that she's not pureblood.

Happy Holidays guys! Your present? A double-dosage of Nothing Sirius! Haha enjoy and please review!


	12. The Heartburn

12-

After the holidays, things at Hogwarts got busier.

It was suddenly very apparent to the Ravenclaw 7th years that NEWTs were approaching, and a flurry of preparation began.

Melora was caught up in this too, even though she had begun to spend the majority of her time with either Bea (a Hufflepuff) or Sirius and his friends (all Gryffindors). The others informed her of just how insane this behavior was, although Lily seemed slightly concerned and according to James, had started planning a study schedule.

Unfortunately, the stress of studying caught up to Melora quickly. She was racing to Charms from the lunch, where she had grabbed a quick bite, when it hit her. A painful burning sensation around her heart stopped Melora on a dime, and she doubled over in pain.

This only made it worse, and she let out a gasp from the pain.

"Oh sweet Merlin!" She groaned, clasping at her chest. Her books dropped to the ground and Melora struggled to stand upright.

The corridor was empty, and Melora wasn't entirely sure what to do. She managed to lean up against the castle wall, but her eyes were tearing from the pain, and there was no way she could get to the hospital wing on her own.

"Melora?" A voice called from down the hall.

Melora let out a whimper of pain in response. Auburn curls flashes in her vision, and she heard someone pick up her books.

"Here place your arm around me," the familiar voice instructed, "Right, there we go, one step in front of the other."

After what felt like ages, Melora and her savior arrived at the hospital wing.

Madame Moffat caught sight of them, and immediately led Melora to cot, where she laid down. "It's this burning pain," she explained through ragged breath, "right here." She pointed to her chest and Moffat nodded.

"Heart burn," she said calmly, searching through her large supply of potions, "Not uncommon in your state."

There was a hint of judgment Melora chose to ignore. Madame Moffat handed her an orange colored potion that Melora downed eagerly.

Almost immediately, the pain subsided and Melora let out a sigh of relief. Moffat allowed her to rest on the cot for a while, while she contacted the Healers. Melora looked around for whoever helped her to the hospital wing, but the room was empty now, her books left on the chair beside her bed.

Not that she needed to see them now to know who had helped her. Melora had lived with those auburn curls for 6 years; she could pick Stacy Scott out of a crowd in seconds.

When Madame Moffat reached them through the floo, she called Melora in her office to talk to Healer Jacoby in the fire.

"Perfectly normal dear," Jacoby informed her, "Did you eat a lot in a small amount of time just before?"

Melora nodded her face coloring. "I was in a rush," she explained, "I was studying for potions and I hadn't realized what time it was. But I wanted to eat before class."

Jacoby waved her hand, "Just be careful," she replied, "And do relax dear."

* * *

Sirius took the incident much worse when Melora reluctantly reiterated it to him later. She hadn't planned to tell him at all, but he had noticed her absence in Charms and some sixth year had told Bea he saw her heading towards the infirmary that day. Sirius had cornered her at dinner and demanded to know if she was okay.

Melora had rolled her eyes angrily, Sirius's actions reminded her of Stephen only a few months before, but she conceded and told him the story, choosing to leave out the detail of who had helped her.

"The Healer's right," Sirius said, "You are too stressed out. All this running around isn't good for you."

So Sirius came up with his own personal goal, to make her as relaxed as possible.

Sadly, as someone whose life goal had been previously to cause as much havoc as possible, he wasn't very good at this. Sirius would carry her books and bag, but combined with his own things; he often dropped her parchment, or let her bag spill open. He attempted to give her a massage, but it either hurt, or made Melora extremely uncomfortable. His complements always ended up backwards ("You're looking particularly plump today!"), his handwriting was atrocious when he tried to help her with essays, he tried to stop her from eating things she should, and force her to eat things she shouldn't. In short, it was a mess.

Bea tried to convince Melora he was being sweet, but after a week, Melora had to but her foot down.

They were walking alone in the corridor, Sirius once again carrying everything, heading towards the library when it happened. Melora had been watching him nervously since they started. Sirius was talking, about what Melora had no idea, and didn't seem to be paying any attention to her bag, which was slowly beginning to open.

"Sirius—" Melora tried to get his attention on her bag, but he just grinned.

"Wait I'm almost to the best part."

Unfortunately, in turning to Melora to say this, Sirius caused Melora's bag to completely fall open and tip out once more. Her quills, parchment, and ink fell onto the floor and Melora watched in horror as her ink well crashed to bits on top of her just finished Transfiguration essay.

"Oh bollocks," Sirius said quietly.

Melora took a deep breath and tried to calm down, but her anger exploded anyway. "What the hell Sirius?" she yelled, "This is the third time you've done this and the second essay of mine you've destroyed!"

"I'm just trying to help," Sirius said quickly.

Melora let out a choked laugh, "Oh yeah and a fat lot of bloody good that's done! I'm done with it! No more helping me, okay? I can't stand it! You're driving me mad!" She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, "You keep dropping my things and hurting me and insulting me and I've had enough!"

"Look Melora—" Sirius started.

"No!" Melora cut him off and her eyes snapped open. She took a breath to insult him again, but then something strange overcame her. She stared blankly at Sirius, suddenly unbelievable aware of how close they were, how wide his gray-blue eyes were, and when his tongue darted out nervously to lick his lips, Melora's heart began to race.

And before she knew what she was doing, she closed the gap between them, pulled him down to her, and kissed him as if she would die without him.

Sirius responded enthusiastically, dropping their books and bags and pulling her closer. Melora wrapped her arms around his neck and Sirius entangled one hand in her hair and placed the other on her bum. They some how found themselves against the wall, gasping between hot kisses.

"Oh Merlin," Melora mumbled.

"Yeah," Sirius chuckled against her mouth. His hand moved up her back and found its way under her shirt. The feeling of his cool hand against her bare skin sent a shock through Melora's body and she realized just what she was doing and just who with and she jumped back.

Sirius blinked. Melora covered her mouth with one hand and clutched at her chest with the other.

"Oh Merlin, no," she said, "No, no, no."

Sirius winced. "You didn't say that four months ago," he joked weakly.

"Oh Sirius I'm sorry. It's not that," Melora flushed, "It's just…we can't do this. I can't do this."

"Why not?" he challenged her, "I mean, what could happen?" He grinned, but Melora shook her head.

"No, I just…it wouldn't work Sirius come on." She pleaded.

The dark haired boy shrugged, "You don't know that. I mean, that was good Melora, really good. Don't you think that means something?"

Melora shook her head and began picking her things, "I don't know what it means. I have to go. I'll see you later."

Sirius opened his mouth to respond, but Melora hurried past him in the direction they came from, and he got an incredible sense of déjà vu.

* * *

A/N- Heart burn indeed. I figured this was a good chapter for the one year anniversary of Nothing Sirius. Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me this far! Please review!


	13. The Library

13-

Sirius Black wasn't a bad guy.

He could be arrogant, or immature, or take things a little too far, but he wasn't a bad guy.

So why did he feel like one?

After all, Melora had kissed him. She was always the one who had initiated the kissing; he could remember that much from that night those long three months ago.

Sirius let out a bark of laughter and leaned into the soft maroon fabric of the couch he was currently occupying in the Gryffindor Common Room. The fire in front of him crackled and danced in amusement.

Three months ago? Was that really how long it had been? To Sirius, it felt like a lifetime.

His fingers inched towards his lips. The swelling from his snogging session with Melora had gone down not long after it first appeared, but the feeling had haunted him for the past few days.

Sirius scowled and dropped his hand. The fire continued to dance, as though making fun of him. A lifetime ago, indeed. A lifetime he wished he could get back. Oh, to go back to leaving girls without a second thought. To when his girl problem was whether or not Wendy What's-Her-Face and Susan Something-Or-Other knew he was snogging them both.

The teen sighed and ran his hand through his long hair, absently wondering if he should trim it soon. He wished he could talk to James or Remus, or even Peter about his problem, but for some reason he couldn't admit to them what happened between Melora and him. Despite James's questions and Remus's curious looks, he remained silent past saying that she was avoiding him.

And she definitely was. He hadn't seen Melora beyond catching a flash of blonde hair in the halls or during meals. Sirius couldn't have confronted her even if he wanted to.

But Sirius didn't want to confront her. He didn't want to yell at her or demand anything from her. Sirius Black wasn't a bad guy. He had stayed faithful to Melora these past three months even though, technically, they weren't in a relationship.

But she snogs him, and he's supposed to act as if it never happened? Sirius crossed his arms and glared angrily at the fire, which seemed to shrink under his glare. Fine, he could do that. But she couldn't have her cake and eat it too. If they weren't snogging, they weren't dating, which meant Sirius could do whatever he pleased with other girls.

Sirius turned away from the fire and observed the common room. Most of its occupants were doing last minute homework before classes tomorrow, or chatting among friends.

One group of sixth year girls caught his eye, or rather, one sixth year girl. Blonde locks curled just perfectly and wide blue eyes, Sirius couldn't remember her name (It definitely started with an 'E'), but when she met his eyes, she wiggled her fingers at him and he smirked. She giggled and he raised a brow and nodded towards the portrait hole.

The blonde shot up from her friends, who burst into giggles when they saw whom she was making eyes at, and flounced over to portrait hole where Sirius met her with a wolfish grin.

"Care to help me with my Charms homework in the library?" He asked, "I hear you're quite good."

She fluttered her lashes at him. "Love to," she said.

They headed out together, carrying neither a book nor a quill.

* * *

Melora avoided Sirius like the plague after their snog in the hallway. Despite questioning from both Bea and Lily, she told no one what had happened beyond that they had an argument. And since Lily was asking, Melora assumed James didn't know and therefore, Sirius hadn't told anyone either.

Thankfully, Melora had other things on her plate to deal with. She was going into her second trimester, and had another healer's appointment coming up. Her schoolwork was also increasing, and, thanks to a letter from her mum, Melora remembered also she had to look into parents wanting to adopt her baby.

So, it was fairly easy to avoid Sirius with the excuse of work, and Melora chose the library as her main hideout.

"What about these two?" Melora glanced up from her Potions paper to the picture Mary was showing her.

"What do they do?" Melora asked.

Mary flipped the photo of the young couple hugging one another lovingly. "He's in the transportation department of the ministry and she writes for the Daily Prophet," she read.

Melora nodded approvingly, but Mary suddenly shook her head rapidly. "Oh dear, never mind."

"What's wrong with them?" Melora reached for the picture, but Mary pulled it out of her grasp.

"Let's just say this photo was probably taken when Dumbledore was a baby." Mary replied.

Melora groaned.

This had been the case with numerous couples Mary was helping Melora go through. It wasn't always age that was the problem, but there seemed to always be something, just one thing, that sent the couple spiraling down into the 'no' pile.

Bea had been helping before, but Remus had stopped by with another book he thought she might enjoy, and the Hufflepuff had eagerly run off.

"I'm not being too picky, am I?" Melora asked Mary as the brunette picked up the next couple from the pile Healer Jacoby had sent over the day before.

Mary shook her head, "Of course not, you just want the best for your baby."

Melora smiled at the other girl gratefully.

Mary hadn't been lying when she said she loved babies. She seemed to know everything there was to know about children and pregnancy. Lily said Mary was hoping to become Healer, but Melora thought the Gryffindor girl would make a perfect mother.

Melora smirked as she imagined Mary adopting her baby, but shook her head of the thought quickly and tried to focus back on her essay.

But two loud whispers from several meters away distracted her again. Mary looked towards the noise, from the sounds of it, a snogging couple, hidden behind the Herbology section.

"Absolutely disgusting," Mary sniffed, "I mean honestly, people come here to study."

Melora ignored her friend's whispered complaints and tried to focus on the voices. One of them sounded eerily familiar.

Suddenly, the girl let out a loud gasp and the sound of a light smack echoed to Melora's ears. "Oh Sirius stop!" the girl giggled loudly.

Melora sucked in her breath quickly and grasped tighter on her quill, pressing it down hard against her parchment. Mary fell silent and looked over at the blonde nervously. Sirius shushed his female companion and their whispers and giggles faded away.

Neither girl moved until the voices were completely gone. Then, the loud snapping noise of Melora's quill breaking from the pressure of her grip broke the silence and they both jumped in surprise. Ink began to spread across the parchment and onto the table, but Melora just stared at it.

Mary bit her lip. "Melora? Are you alright?" She asked, grabbing her wand and waving it over the table, clearing the ink just before it reached the pile of couples looking to adopt.

Melora's head shot up. "Who? Me? Oh yes, I'm just fine. Just peachy. Why wouldn't I be?" she replied, voice slightly higher than usual.

"Do you want me to get Beatrice?" Mary said quietly.

Melora shook her head quickly. "Why would you need to do that?" she replied with a shaky laugh, "She's been waiting weeks for Remus to talk to her again." Melora looked back down at her essay; Mary's cleaning spell had smudged a large portion of it away. "I should get some fresh parchment," she glanced at the broken quill, still dangling in her right hand, "And probably a new quill too."

The blonde stood and began collecting her things. Mary stared at her helplessly.

"I'll see you later Mary." Melora said, swinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Melora," The girl turned back at the sound of her name. Mary swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'm sure he didn't mean to—"

"I'll see you later Mary," Melora repeated, cutting the brunette off and hurrying out of the library.

"Wait," Mary stood up, "You forgot your possible parents!" she called.

But Melora was already gone.

* * *

Sirius knew, at least somewhere in the back of his mind, that Melora was most likely in the library. And later he would admit that perhaps he was aware of this when he suggested the stacks to the sixth year girl and maybe it had been on purpose.

But he still thought Mary slapping him was a little uncalled for.

"Why'd you do that?" he exclaimed, nursing his injured cheek with his hand.

"You know why," she hissed, narrowing her eyes at him, "How could you do that to Melora?"

Their fellow Gryffindor seventh years gathered around the two quickly, cutting off the curious eyes of the younger students.

Remus moved Sirius's hand to examine his bright red cheek. James let out a whistle, "Merlin she got you good Padfoot."

"Why'd you do that Mary?" Remus said with a frown. The brunette was normally quiet and well tempered. It definitely wasn't in her character to go around slapping people.

Mary took a step towards Sirius, "Because he deserved it!"

"What's going on?" Lily asked, assuming her Head Girl position quickly and grabbing onto her friend's shoulders before Mary attacked again.

"Ask Sirius," Four sets of eyes swiveled to look at the dark haired boy, "Ask him what he was up to this afternoon."

Sirius shrunk back at the sudden attention. "What were you doing mate?" Peter asked.

"I was in the library," he said evasively.

"Doing what?" demanded Mary, "Tell them what you were doing only a few meters away from the girl you got pregnant!"

Sirius's eyes widened. "I didn't know she was there!" he exclaimed. It was a lie, but only partially. Sirius never thought Melora would be so close.

Mary snorted. "What were you doing?" Remus asked, although judging by the looks on the other Gryffindors' faces, they all had an idea.

Sirius said nothing and stared at his feet, and Mary answered for him. "He was snogging another girl!" Sirius didn't need to look up to see the disappointed faces looking at him.

* * *

A/N- For anyone that thought this story was heading to the fluffy side...sorry

Review please!


	14. The Fight

14-

"Hullo Jones, haven't seen you around here lately." Melora winced at the sound of Stephen Walters's voice as she headed to Defense class. Bea had suggested they go together, but Melora got a nosebleed and insisted her friend go ahead so she didn't make them both late.

Only Stephen fucking Walters could make her regret that decision three steps out of the girls' lavatory.

"Bugger off Stephen," she said raising her head and quickening her pace without looking at him.

Unfortunately, Stephen was faster and caught up with her in an instant.

"Relax Melly," Melora winced again, "I just wanted to tell you look quite pretty today." Melora glanced at him out of the corner of her eye curiously.

"In fact," Stephen continued, "You're positively glowing."

Melora stopped short and glared at him. "Leave me alone Stephen, you're going to make me late for class."

Stephen smirked, "Me? I'm not doing anything, just trying to pay you a complement. I can't imagine you're getting those too often, what with your baby daddy off shagging every Gryffindor in sight."

Melora began walking again, staring determinedly ahead, Stephen hurried to catch up with her. "I mean, I thought you had some standards Melora, but Sirius Black? Wow, I guess even the Sorting Hat misses one or two."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Melora hissed.

Stephen grabbed her wrist, forcing her to stop and turn to look at him. "I think you know what it means, you stupid slag."

Melora gasped and went to slap the tall boy, but he caught her with his free hand. "You know what you and Black shagging and you getting knocked up makes me? A joke!" He pulled Melora toward him, and Melora dropped her bag in shock, "Do you think I like being a joke, Melly?"

Melora turned her face away from his, "Let go of me Stephen," she demanded.

Stephen laughed cruelly. "Come on Melora, I dated you for a good six months. I just want a little taste of what Black got after knowing you for five minutes."

Melora's face burned with shame, it was one thing to hear fourth years whisper how big of a slut she was behind her back, it was another to have Stephen say it in her face. "Let me go," she repeated, "Or I'll—"

"Or you'll what?" Stephen pulled her closer so that there was only an inch or two between them.

"Hey!" A shout rang out from down the corridor and Stephen looked up quickly, his grip on Melora loosened. She grabbed the opportunity and twisted her arm free of his, and before he could return his attention to her, sent a swift kick at his leg.

Stephen let out a shriek of pain. "You bitch!" he cried, "I'll—"

"You'll what?" the voice that had called out moments before now stood next to them.

Melora looked over in surprise and scowled when she saw who it was. Of course it was Sirius, with her luck, who else could it be?

"Oh look who's come to join the party," Stephen snarled, "Come to protect your whore and her little bastard?"

Melora went to kick him again, but Sirius was faster. He grabbed Stephen's robes and pushed him up against the wall. Both boys were well built, but Sirius was taller and broader, and clearly had the advantage over Stephen.

"If you so much as talk, no, so much as look in her direction, or mention the baby, I will end you," Sirius said, his teeth bared and his eyes glinting in a way Melora imagined a dog's might right before a fight.

It was actually rather attractive in a feral sort of—what? Melora shook her head; she did not need these sorts of thoughts right now.

Stephen looked like he might fight for an instant, but he too could see he wasn't much of a match for Sirius and put his hands up in surrender.

"Like I'd want anything to do with her anyway," he huffed.

Sirius's eyes narrowed, as if trying to decide if he believed Stephen, but apparently, he did because he dropped the Ravenclaw's robes and took a few steps back. "Go," he commanded, nodding his head in the opposite direction of the Defense classroom. Stephen glared, but did as he was told and scuttled off as Melora and Sirius watched him go.

When he was gone, Melora picked up her bag and shoved the few things that had fallen out back inside. Sirius kneeled down to help her, but before he could touch anything Melora shook her head.

"Don't," she said softly.

"Melora I—"

"I could have handled it myself," Melora's head snapped up from her things and Sirius was surprised to see tears collecting in her eyes.

"I just wanted to help," he replied, now looking more like a puppy than the beast that had scared Stephen away.

Melora shook her head again, standing up as she finished gathering her things. Sirius followed suit.

"I think we're a little passed that," she said.

"It was a mistake."

Melora groaned. "I'm sure it was Sirius, but that's not the issue."

"I was just angry. I mean you kissed me and then disappeared!" Sirius ran a hand through his hair, "She didn't mean anything."

"I don't care about her Sirius!" Images of her kissing Sirius and then of other girls kissing him sprung up in her mind and Melora struggled to fight them back, along with a sudden surge of jealousy. Hormones, it was just hormones.

"Than what is?" he shot back.

"I just," she sighed, "I just don't think I can do this, us," she gestured between them, "I mean, it's hard enough having to deal with the pregnancy; I don't think I could do a relationship too." She couldn't even deal with being around him anymore.

"We don't have to have a relationship!" Sirius argued, "I just want to help you."

"Yes we do!" Melora replied in frustration, "Because clearly if we don't, you go off randomly snogging other girls and I get angry and heartbrok—"

Melora cut herself off and stared down at her shoes. "I think it would be easier if we went our separate ways. Neither of us is equipped to deal with this, and this way at least one of us doesn't have to."

Who was she talking about? Him not having to deal with her and the baby or her not having to deal with the emotions he seemed to stir up in her constantly these days?

Sirius went to protest, but Melora turned on her heel and headed towards Defense. "I'll see you around Black."

Sirius just watched her go, dumbfounded.

She was heartbroken

* * *

A/N- Sorry for taking forever with this chapter, between real life and my unhappiness with my own writing...yeah it was a mess. But hopefully the next one won't take as long!

Review please!


	15. The Hogsmeade Trip Part I

15-

Melora observed herself in the mirror with a critical eye. She was definitely starting to show.

Her uniform (Thank Merlin) was still baggy enough to hide it. But in the muggle clothes she was wearing to go to Hogsmeade, the bump was quite clearly defined.

The blonde let out a small sigh and grabbed her cloak from her bed. She knew it was going to happen eventually, but she was still hoping she might get that slim chance of barely showing at all.

Melora paused in fastening her cloak to observe the baby bump once more. It certainly was strange to think there was something growing inside her.

"It suits you." Melora spun around in surprise to face Beatrice, dropping her cloak in the process.

"What does?" she asked. Bea waited until Melora picked up her cloak to answer.

"Pregnancy," she said, sounding slightly embarrassed, "I mean, you've sort of got this glow about you." Bea let out a little chuckle, "I always thought you'd be a great mother."

Melora flushed a bit and rolled her eyes, "You're ridiculous," she said.

"Oh come on Lora," Beatrice said with a smile, "You're such a mother hen."

Melora shrugged the comment off and nodded towards the door, "We'd better go before we're late."

Bea nodded. It was Hogsmeade weekend and the two girls had plans with Mary and Lily to go shopping. They were already late as it was, since Melora had waited for the majority of her house to leave before sneaking Bea in and getting ready.

"When's your next healer appointment?" Bea asked as they hurried down the winding staircase of the Ravenclaw tower.

"Uh, next weekend," Melora bit her lip trying to remember the details, "Supposedly I'll be able to see the baby move and find out what gender it is."

"Is Sirius coming?"

Melora fought the blush that came to her face at his name. "No."

Bea tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as they passed a suit of armor reflecting their image. This weekend was also Valentine's Day weekend and Bea was meeting Remus for lunch after they went shopping. She had been fretting about her appearance all morning. Melora rolled her eyes, "The wind's just going to mess your hair up more. And the Daily Prophet said it's supposed to snow in Hogsmeade today."

Bea ignored her and went back to their previous conversation. "Are you really going to find out the gender? I think it would be more fun to have a surprise."

"Healer Jacoby said finding out will help me find a couple to adopt." Melora replied.

Bea hummed in compliance, but she still looked doubtful. Just before they reached the entranceway where students were lining up to leave the castle the Hufflepuff stopped her friend. "You don't really think it's going to snow, do you?"

Melora stared blankly at her friend's worried expression. The brunette's eyes were wide with sudden fear and she was gnawing on her bottom lip. Melora thought back to the last time Beatrice went on a date. It had been in fifth year and to say it had ended badly would be putting it mildly.

"You know the Daily Prophet," Melora said with a smile, "When do they ever get the weather right?"

Bea smiled gratefully at Melora's assurance and they continued on their way to join the line of their classmates.

* * *

Sirius fiddled with a loose thread hanging off his jumper and tried not to panic.

"This isn't going to work," he said quite decidedly. Next to him, James rolled his eyes.

"You've been saying that for the past two hours," James pointed out, "And yet here we are, fifteen minutes from making it a reality."

Sirius stared determinedly at the thread. It seemed no matter how much he pulled, the thread would not break. Idly, he wondered if his jumper would soon unravel.

"It's going to be fine," Remus assured Sirius, "The worst she can do is turn you down."

"Easy for you to say, Walsh agreed to your date."

Remus flushed, "It's not a date! We're just getting lunch. And I only asked her to help you."

James sighed loudly and threw his hands in the air. "What is this?" he exclaimed, "A pity party or the beginnings of a perfectly executed Marauder plans?"

Peter nodded eagerly next to him. "Yeah guys, we can do this!"

Sirius shot him an irritated look. "You aren't even doing anything Wormtail."

Wormtail deflated a bit and James frowned. "He'll be distracting Mary. Don't take your miserableness out on him."

"Not a word," Remus interjected absently.

James crossed his arms, clearly frustrated with his two friends. "Come on Padfoot, trust me. This is going to work. I came up with this plan and seeing as my last plan got Lily Evans to go out with me, I think I've got a pretty good tract record."

Sirius snorted, "Yeah after years of pathetic begging."

"Says the bloke who came begging for my help when it was revealed he cheated on the _mother of his child_," James shot back.

Sirius looked ready to protest more, but instead remained quiet. He really did owe his friends for sticking with him after Mary told everyone what had happened. But he technically didn't ask for James help until after his encounter with Melora in the hall.

After his explanation of Melora's rational that they couldn't be in a relationship to the other Marauders, James had looked at him quite plainly and asked the one question Sirius did not want to hear.

"But do you want to be?"

Thus leading to this ridiculous plan to kidnap poor Melora for a heart-to-heart while Remus went on his date, sorry, lunch with Beatrice Walsh, Peter distracted Mary, and James went out with Lily.

"Oh Merlin," Sirius groaned, "This is going to be a disaster."

"You'd better go through with it Padfoot," Remus told him, "Or I'll have gone to lunch with Bea for nothing."

"Being in love with her is hardly nothing Moony," Peter cut in with a smirk.

Remus's face went red as he stammered out a protest, but the other boys just laughed and ignored him. The teasing did however, did make Sirius feel slightly better.

* * *

Hogsmeade was packed as usual with Hogwarts students, but Melora couldn't help but notice there was definitely more couples around than usual.

Ever since her snog with Sirius those long weeks ago, Melora had been feeling rather, well, sexually deprived. And their fight several days ago hadn't helped the problem any.

Seeing all these couples making out made her wish perhaps, she hadn't fled from Sirius that day. Stupid hormones.

"Melora? Earth to Melora?" Melora snapped to the present where Lily was observing her with a wry smile. "What are you thinking about?"

Melora flushed, glad Lily wasn't a Legilimens, and shrugged. "Valentine's Day," she replied, "You excited for your date with James?" Lily, like Bea, was off to lunch for her Valentine's date after shopping.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I don't know. He tends to go a little overboard when it comes to these things."

Melora giggled. This was true. In their fifth year for Valentine's Day, James had covered the entire Great Hall in roses, except for on the Gryffindor table, where he had spelled out 'I love Lily Evans' in lilies. And they hadn't even been dating then.

"What about you?" Lily asked, "Have you spoken to Sirius at all?"

"No," Melora replied quickly, her cheeks burning again. Could she never get away from the grey-eyed boy? Perhaps Lily was a Legilimens after all. "I think we're better off separate."

Lily looked disappointed at her answer, but didn't press her further.

The girls' morning went fairly quickly, a large portion of it spent in Honeydukes, where Melora found herself buying nearly one of everything. By the time noon rolled around, the four headed over to the Three Broomsticks, where they met up with Remus and James, both smiling broadly and glancing at Melora every so often, as if they knew something she didn't.

It made Melora feel extraordinarily paranoid.

But just before she could ask them what they were hiding, James asked, quite loudly, if they were all ready to go into the pub.

The girls gave him an odd look, but nodded nonetheless. The plan was for James and Lily and Bea and Remus to go off on their own, while Melora and Mary got lunch together and went over prospective adoptive parents again.

Melora hadn't looked through the files since the library…

The blonde shook her head furiously as they entered the pub, now was not the time to think about Sirius.

Unfortunately, the universe seemed to have other plans.

The moment she stepped into the Three Broomsticks, Melora's friends disappeared into the crowd, and Melora found herself alone and bewildered.

"Mary?" she called out. A few people near her glanced over, but Melora didn't recognize anyone.

A hand touched her shoulder and Melora spun around. Sirius stood behind her.

"We need to talk," he said.

Melora shook her head and turned back around. "We already did," she said quickly, "Have you seen Mary?"

"She's with Peter," Sirius replied. Melora began to push through the crowd, but Sirius followed. "You're not going to find her. They want you to talk to me too."

Melora spun around, "What is this? Some kind of plot? Is everyone in on this but me?"

Sirius rubbed his neck, "Sort of. Can we please talk?"

"I don't want to talk to you!" Melora cried, attempting to storm away, but she ran into a large man, who pushed her back against Sirius.

"Please," Sirius whispered in her ear, his hands bracing her against him, "Give me five minutes."

Melora turned and stared into his gray eyes. They were too close for her liking.

"Fine," she said softly, taking a step away, "Let's go outside."

* * *

A/N- Ooh. Part ii coming soon!

Review please!


	16. The Hogsmeade Trip Part II

16-

It turned out the Daily Prophet was more correct than Melora had thought. When she and Sirius walked out of the Three Broomsticks, snowflakes were drifting down, having already coated the ground in a thin white layer.

"Well?" Melora asked, turning to face the Gryffindor boy and crossing her arms, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Sirius looked out towards the Shrieking Shack. "Let's go for a walk," he suggested.

Melora scowled, "Sirius, it's snowing."

Sirius pulled out his wand and gave it a flick. Melora looked around them, the snow was still falling, but not a flake touched either of them.

"Nice shield charm," Melora said softly, dropping her arms.

Sirius shrugged, "Can we walk now?"

Melora sighed, but nodded and the two headed up the road towards the Shrieking Shack. Sirius attempted to grab her hand, but Melora took a step away and crossed her arms again.

Sirius frowned a little, but didn't try again. "You were right," he admitted as they walked, "I wasn't ready."

Melora looked over at him curiously. "And I think I understand," he continued, "why you wouldn't want to be in a relationship." He laughed a little, "And to be honest, I sort of suck at relationships, so I could definitely see why you wouldn't want to be in one with me. But that baby is my responsibility too and I want," he swallowed thickly, "I need to be a part of it. I mean, when I saw that prick Walters the other day grabbing at you I got so mad, I kept think what if he hurt you, what if he hurt that kid?" Sirius gestured towards Melora's stomach. "I don't think I'd be able to live with myself."

Melora stopped walking and Sirius followed suit. "I just want to be there to help Melora," he said softly.

"You kidnapped me to tell me all that?" Melora looked down at her shoes.

Sirius fiddled with the loose string on his jumper. "Er, yeah. Although in my defense, I don't think it was an actual kidnapping."

The blonde girl looked up and Sirius was surprised to see tears filling her brown eyes. "Melora—" he started, but Melora cut him off by closing the gap between them and giving him a swift kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Sirius flushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "You're welcome."

They headed back to the castle in silence. Melora has asked him to walk her back as she was exhausted and her feet were killing her and Sirius was more than happy to oblige.

"Can't be easy carrying the extra weight," Sirius mused as he held the door open for her when they reached Hogwarts.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Melora glared.

Sirius' arms flew up in defense. "I just mean, well you're pregnant!"

Melora sniffed. "I know, my mum told me I'm lucky. She was twice my size when she was pregnant with me," she sighed, "But at the same time, I feel like I'm constantly waddling!"

Sirius chuckled, "You do sort of waddle."

"Oi," Melora narrowed her eyes and Sirius' arms went up again.

"Sorry, sorry," he grabbed her hand and tugged her towards him, "You look lovely."

"What are you doing?" Melora asked trying to ignore the blood rushing to her cheeks, "The Ravenclaw tower's the other way."

"I know," Sirius replied, "I wanted to show you something."

Melora looked nervous, but she followed Sirius nevertheless.

He took her to the seventh floor and stopped in front of a rather silly looking tapestry of trolls doing ballet. "Wait here," he instructed. Melora gave him a skeptical look, but did as he said and waited as Sirius paced back and forth in front of the tapestry.

"Sirius what are you doing?" she asked.

Sirius looked up at her with a wide grin, "You don't remember anything from that night?"

Melora swallowed thickly as memories of heat, sweat, and flesh flashed through her mind. "Not much," she admitted.

"Do you remember where we ended up?"

Melora looked around them, the tapestry did look awful familiar, but she had left with such a headache she hadn't really been thinking about where they were. It was weird, she supposed that they had found a bedroom in the middle of Hogwarts.

The blonde looked back up to Sirius. A door had appeared next to him. "What is it?" she asked.

Sirius shrugged, "I'm not sure," he grinned and offered his hand, "but are you ready to find out?"

Melora wasn't, but she took his outstretched hand anyway and let Sirius lead her into the room.

"Woah," both teens gasped as they entered the room. It was a mix of both the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw common rooms decorated in red and blue with cushy sofas, tall bookshelves, and a roaring fire.

"I don't think this is where we ended up that night," Melora said, dropping Sirius' hand to inspect the books, "I definitely remember a bed."

"I think it can change," Sirius responded jumping on the couch in front of the fire.

"Magic," Melora shook her head.

Sirius smiled, "Well, we are at Hogwarts."

Melora chuckled and grabbed a book from the shelf before joining Sirius on the couch.

"This is crazy comfortable," she mused, leaning against Sirius's chest and opening her book.

Sirius looked down at her in surprise, but didn't protest. The couch was small, there was no way they could sit without touching somehow.

"Happy Valentine's Day Melora," he said softly, staring at the fire.

"You too Sirius," Melora replied, struggling to hide the wide grin on her face.

* * *

A/N- Aw, looks like things are looking up _(for now anyway...)_


	17. The Perfect Couple

17- 

Though Melora and Sirius kept the exact details of what happened that Valentine's Day secret from their friends, it was clear to everyone that they had made up and that things were better, if not all the way fixed.

However, after that Valentine's Day, it also became clear to the students at Hogwarts that not only was the rumor that Melora Jones was pregnant true, but the rumor that Sirius Black was the father was true as well.

The two hadn't been alone on their walk to the Shrieking Shack and the jealous Gryffindor behind them with blue eyes, perfectly curled blonde hair, and a name that started with 'E' was more than eager to report what she had overheard to anyone that would listen.

Which left Melora more than happy to leave the school the following weekend to attend her healer appointment. It wasn't so much the snide comments, whispers behind her back, or jinxes sent her way that bothered her, but the constant stares Melora just couldn't take. She was a private person and having everyone watching her constantly again had put the blonde girl on edge. She just wanted another rumor to come up and take the attention off her, but it didn't seem to be happening anytime soon.

So she left Sirius at Hogwarts with the remaining folders of potential adoptive parents, assured her mother via owl that she would be fine on her own, and headed off to St. Mungo's to finally be left alone.

The glorious thing about the maternity wing at St. Mungo's was that Melora wasn't an oddity at all. Sure she was younger than most of the women, but everyone there had other pregnancies to worry about and Melora was left on her own.

Well almost on her own.

"Is this your first deary?" The teenager's head shot up from her Charms book to the woman next to her. She had bright red hair and a warm face, her belly more than twice the size of Melora's was.

"Yes," Melora said with a slight flush.

"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?"

"Oh no, I'm going to find out today," Melora replied politely, "Do you?"

"No, my husband and I want to be surprised," She looked down affectionately at her stomach, "But I'm hoping for a girl."

"Is she your first baby?" Melora asked.

The woman laughed, "Oh no, I've got three little boys at home."

Melora smiled, "I can see why you would want a girl."

She laughed again and offered a hand, "I'm Molly Weasley."

Melora shook it, "Melora Jones."

"When are you due Melora? You hardly look a month along!"

"July," Melora said, "My mother tells me I'm lucky I'm this small still."

"Your mother's a smart woman," Molly nodded, "I don't know how I got this big," she shook her head, "None of my first three caused me this much trouble. Thank Merlin I'm due in April so this baby doesn't get much more time to cause its poor mother any more pain."

Melora opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by Healer Jacoby opening the door across the hall, "You can come in now Melora."

Melora stood and smiled back at Molly, "It was nice to meet you Mrs. Weasley."

"Oh please dear call me Molly."

The two women shook hands again and Melora headed into the examination room.

"Have you felt the baby kick yet Melora?" Healer Jacoby asked after Melora had changed into a paper gown.

"A few times at night," Melora replied, "I woke up because of sharp pains in my stomach that felt a bit like a kick, but not more than that."

The Healer nodded and scribbled something down in Melora's chart before handing her a sea green potion. Melora made a face as she swallowed it, the potion tasted of metal and spinach.

"Have you narrowed down your choices for adoptive parents?"

Melora bit her lip guiltily, "No I'm still going through the files."

Healer Jacoby put Melora's chart down and began waving her wand over Melora's stomach. "I recently met a young couple who were unable to have children I think might be a good fit," The Healer said. A small glowing image appeared above Melora's stomach and Melora smiled at the sight. The little baby twitched and wiggled. "They're looking for a baby girl just like this one."

Melora's eyes widened. "It's a girl?"

Healer Jacoby nodded, "It's a girl."

* * *

Sirius met Melora in the library later that day. Melora was still pouring over the folder Healer Jacoby had given her

Jacoby was right; Kendra and Daniel Wright were the perfect couple to adopt the baby.

Melora read over their chart on her way back to Hogwarts. They had both been in Ravenclaw at Hogwarts. David worked for the Department of Magical Sports and Games at the Ministry, Kendra wrote for the Daily Prophet. They were both in their late thirties, both came from mixed blood families, and they had been trying for a child since they married ten years ago without avail.

And they really wanted a little girl.

"What's that?" Sirius asked sliding into the seat next to her. Melora jumped in surprise, but upon realizing it was Sirius, thrust the folder into his hands.

"Healer Jacoby showed me this couple today that's interested in adopting the baby."

Sirius scanned over the papers and the photo of a young handsome couple, beaming at the camera with their arms wrapped around one another. "They look nice," he said.

"Nice?" Melora exclaimed, "They're perfect! They even want a little girl! It couldn't be a better match."

Sirius gaped at her.

"What?"

"A little girl?" he said softly.

Melora flushed, "Yeah, it's a girl."

Sirius stared at her stomach in amazement, "A little girl," he repeated.

"A little girl for the Wrights." Melora reached out and lifted his chin so he met her eyes, "Right?"

"Wright, right," Sirius nodded with a small smile at the word play.

Melora laid a hand on her stomach, "Healer Jacoby said she could arrange for us to meet them at the next Hogsmeade week—oh!"

Sirius looked at her worriedly, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just…" Melora smiled and grabbed Sirius's hand, laying it on top of her stomach where her own had sat moments ago.

Sirius looked alarmed, but when he felt a small kick on his hand, he understood. "Woah," he murmured.

Melora nodded and giggled. "She's strong," she said.

Sirius grinned, "Just like her mum."

* * *

A/N- Aw, look at all the fluff. And Mrs. Weasley!

Thanks for all the reviews!


	18. The Kiss

18-

As much as Melora tried to hide it, when March rolled around, it was clear she was pregnant, and very much so. She had gained nearly a stone and looked as though she had a small quaffle under her shirt.

The only bonus was her nausea was subsiding, although that might have been the leading factor to her weight gain. Once she no longer felt everything she ate was going to come back up, Melora was ready to eat anything.

"You know Shepard's Pie isn't meant to be a dessert pie, right?" Bea asked as she sat down next to Melora at the Ravenclaw table one afternoon.

Melora ignored her friend and continue to scoop whipped cream onto her lunch.

Bea grimaced and pushed away the plate she had begun to fill up for herself. "You make me sick."

Melora grinned and nodded towards the book tucked under Bea's arm. "Another lender from Remus?"

The brunette flushed and shoved the book into her bag. "We're just friends," she insisted.

"I didn't say you weren't," Melora replied with smirk.

"How're things with Sirius?" Bea shot back.

Melora narrowed her eyes at her friends. "You play dirty."

Bea smiled triumphantly. "On second thought I think I will eat some lunch," she said pulling her plate back towards her, "Have you reached out to the Wrights yet?"

Melora nodded, "We're meeting at the Three Broomsticks next Hogsmeade."

"Sirius coming?"

"Course"

Bea pushed her food around quietly. Melora sighed.

"Oh go on then."

"I'm just saying, you could do a lot worse. He clearly fancies you!" Bea exclaimed dropping her fork.

"I could say the same of you!" Melora retorted, "There's a reason Remus keeps giving you these books and it isn't to discuss them."

Bea fell silent and looked away. "It's not the same," she said softly.

Melora frowned, "What happened?"

Bea shook her head. "It's nothing," she insisted.

"Bea, I've known you since we were five. I know when something's nothing and this is definitely something," Melora said.

"It's just," Bea shook her head, "I asked him, okay?"

"You asked him?"

"Yes!" Bea groaned and hid her face in her hands, "I asked Remus on a second date, since it turned out our first one was mostly a plot to help get Sirius and you to finally talk. And he said he'd rather remain friends."

Melora's jaw dropped, "No."

Bea sniffed and nodded. "Yes. He said his life was complicated enough and I could do better than him."

"Well obviously," Melora rubbed her friend's back sympathetically, "Do you want me to get Sirius to beat him up for you?"

Bea chuckled, "Sirius wouldn't beat up one of his best friends."

"I don't know about that," Melora smiled, "If I tell him Remus insulted the baby he might. Did I tell you what he did to Nott when the prick tried to trip me last week?"

"The whole school knows what Sirius did to Nott," Bea was grinning now, "Sirius must be the only one in all of Hogwarts who knows how to punch so hard Madame Moffat can't heal the bruise."

Melora rubbed her swelled stomach. "Yes, strength's definitely something the baby's inherited from Sirius."

The two girls laughed. "You don't have to worry about me Lora," Bea said, "I'll get over Remus."

But Melora didn't miss the way Bea clung to the book the Gryffindor boy had given her.

* * *

"So you have no idea why Remus would say something like that to Beatrice?" Melora asked Sirius as the two reached the Ravenclaw common room.

They had been studying at the library (or at least, Melora had been studying while Sirius flicked bits of parchment at the ceiling and various passing students) and Sirius had offered to walk Melora back to her common room as he often did.

Melora accepted, mostly to ask Sirius about her conversation with Beatrice this morning. But the Gryffindor boy had simply declined any knowledge as to why Remus had blown Bea off.

"He is pretty swamped with classwork and Prefect duties," Sirius said, when Melora repeated the reasoning Remus had given to Beatrice.

"Well could you ask him about it?" Melora pleaded, "Bea's so torn up about this, and Remus seemed to like her so much."

"We're blokes Mel, we don't talk about things like that," Sirius shook his head.

Melora pouted, "Please?"

Sirius looked away, he had no idea how she managed to look so cute sometimes. "Fine," he sighed, "I'll ask."

Melora cheered and gave Sirius a tight hug. Sirius tried to ignore his flip-flopping stomach.

"Thank you so much, Sirius," Melora said when she released him.

Sirius waved off her gratitude. "S'no problem. See you tomorrow at breakfast?"

"As if I could avoid you," Melora replied.

Sirius smiled back cheekily, "Well you know how I hate to let a good thing go to waste."

Melora rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless. "G'night Sirius," she said with a small wave.

But just as she turned, Sirius caught her arm and spun her back towards him, their lips meeting as he took a step closer. Melora leaned into the kiss, her pulse racing. He tasted delicious, far better than Shepard's Pie with whipped cream. Her arms wrapped around his neck and his hands settled on her hips, but just as she was about to open her mouth to let Sirius in, the boy pulled away.

"Sorry," he said, slightly breathless, "I just…"

"It's fine," Melora said quickly, dropping her arms and taking a step back.

"I just…"

"It's fine," Melora repeated, this time with a small smile.

Sirius' eyes widened, "Yeah?"

Melora leaned in again, kissing his cheek softly. "Yeah," she said, her own cheeks slightly flushed, "I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast Sirius."

She turned and headed up the stairs to the Ravenclaw common room, leaving a dazed Sirius behind her.

"Yeah," he said softly, rubbing his cheek where Melora had kissed him.

* * *

A/N- Aw, look at the fluff. In case anyone was wondering, the story's currently planned at 32 chapters.

Review please!


	19. The Confrontation

19-

Melora ran giddily up the stairs, answering the Eagle's riddle with ease (What is no sooner spoken than broken? Silence), and nearly dancing through the common room to the girls' dormitories, earning some strange looks from her housemates.

She didn't know what it was about Sirius Black that sent her heartbeat racing and her fingertips tingling, but it certainly didn't hurt that when they kissed, Melora could feel the baby kicking wildly in her stomach, almost approvingly at her parents' actions.

Melora giggled as she reached her dorm. Well that was ridiculous, obviously the baby couldn't be responding to anything. In fact, didn't most children hate when their parents showed any signs of affection in front of them? Melora certainly did.

"You look happy."

Melora shrieked in surprise, nearly dropping her bag. Stacey Scott emerged from behind her bed curtains, her face slightly pink.

"Sorry," she said, "Didn't mean to scare you."

Melora shrugged uncomfortably and went over to her own bed. "It's fine."

Silence fell over the dorm as Melora fidgeted with her bag and Stacey returned to her bed where she had been reading. It was amazing how quickly some people could ruin a happy moment, Melora mused.

The two girls hadn't been alone together since they had stopped talking, with the exception of Stacey rescuing Melora in the hallway, which Melora didn't really count as she had been incapacitated at the time. Melora had never desperately wished for her other dorm mates to come back, if only to break the thick tension in the room. Even Eleanor Harvey would be lovely.

"Bobbie's on Prefect patrol and Eleanor and Sophie-Anne got detention for passing notes in Divination." Stacey said suddenly, breaking the silence, as though she had just read Melora's mind.

Melora looked over in surprise at her former friend's bed. Stacey stared at her book, but her eyes didn't move.

"That's…ok," Melora replied, at a loss at how to respond.

Assuming that would be the end of their discussion for the night, Melora gathered her pajamas to get changed in the bathroom, but Stacey's voice stopped her.

"I knew I was wrong when it came to Stephen," she said quietly.

Melora froze and turned to look at her old friend. The tension between the two instantly grew tenfold, and for a moment Melora considered running from the room.

But her mouth was quicker than her feet. "Oh you did, did you?" Her anger at Stacey bubbled in her stomach. "And when exactly did you come to this realization? Before or after you stuck your tongue down his throat?"

"I just," Stacy stared determinedly down at her book, "You knew how much I fancied him, and you still went out with him."

"And that gives you the right to snog him? I asked you first!" Melora exclaimed dropping her bundle of clothes, "When he asked me out, I asked you first and you said it was fine, that you were over him!"

"Yeah well I wasn't!" Stacy finally looked up, tears in her eyes and Melora was taken aback. Stacy never cried. "But I wanted to be a good friend," she continued, "I figured you'd break up quickly, you had nothing in common. Not like me and him.

"But you didn't. And when he started hitting on me, I thought maybe, he didn't want to be with you anymore. I thought I was saving both of you from a bad relationship by getting in between." Stacy looked back down, "But I was wrong."

Melora snorted, "You think you were being a good friend? You think cheating would save us from a bad relationship? That's such bullshit Stacey! You did it because you're selfish and you wanted Stephen, regardless of the cost."

Stacey scowled, "I thought I was helping."

"Then why didn't you talk to me? Tell me you thought it was a bad idea, that you still fancied him!"

"I don't know!" Stacey stood up now, dropping her book on the floor, "I wasn't thinking logically!"

"No shit," Melora rolled her eyes, "Some Ravenclaw."

Stacey's eyes flashed angrily, "Well at least I didn't get smashed and shag with the first guy I found wandering the corridors without doing a contraception charm."

Melora's hand instinctively flew to her stomach. "None of this would have happened if it weren't for you," she hissed, "If you weren't so bloody self-centered."

The two girls stared one another down from opposite ends of the dorm. Both of their faces were red from yelling and tears were still running down Stacey's face.

Finally, the auburn-haired girl looked away.

"You're right," she whispered.

Melora's eyes widened. Stacey never admitted she was wrong. It certainly was a record breaking day.

"Stephen…he wasn't worth it," Stacey continued, "I was just…jealous."

Melora took a few steps towards the other girl. "Yeah, well, I might have known you were lying when you said you were over him," she confessed.

Stacy wiped her eyes and collapsed back on her bed. "He hasn't talked to me for more than a few minutes since that night. Said I was a stupid mistake."

"He's a prick," Melora offered.

"I know," she sighed, "Some Ravenclaws we are, huh? Falling for a guy like him."

"Between Eleanor, Sophie-Anne, and the two of us, I think the Sorting Hat might have had an off year," Melora chuckled.

"Well it did alright with Bobbie," Stacy pointed out. Roberta "Bobbie" Shaw was the fifth Ravenclaw girl and the prefect in their year. She had her nose stuck in a book so often that sometimes Melora forgot what her face looked like.

Stacey smiled up at Melora hopefully, "So friends again?"

Melora rubbed her neck awkwardly. "Stacey…I, I really wish I could say yes. But you really hurt me and," she laid her hand on her growing stomach again, "I wasn't kidding when I said I blame this on you."

Stacey looked ready to object, but Melora held up her hand to stop her.

"I know it isn't entirely your fault, but you definitely share some of the blame and I don't think I can get past that, at least not right now." Melora sighed, "Maybe after this baby is born. After we both grow up a little, we can be friends again."

"But I helped you!" Stacey exclaimed, "In the hallway!"

"I know," tears welled up in Melora's eyes, "And I'm really grateful Stacey, but for right now, I'd like to just be friendly to one another. And work on being actual friends later."

Stacey nodded, somewhat dumbfounded, and Melora quickly gathered her pajamas again and hurried into the bathroom before her tears started to fall.

* * *

A/N- womp, womp. sort of a disappointing ending of the day for Melora, but the next chapter should be better...

Review please!


	20. The Wrights

20-

Sirius raised a brow and looked over at Melora in surprise. The blonde hadn't spoken a word since they'd met in the Great Hall to go to Hogsmeade. As they walked to the village, Melora had kept her eyes focused on the ground, her fingers fidgeting nervously.

"Of course they'll like you, you're giving them a baby," Sirius said.

"But what if they don't?" Melora bit down on her bottom lip, "What if they hate me and decide they don't want our baby because they wouldn't want a girl like me for a daughter?"

"Mel, why would they ever think that?" Sirius grabbed Melora's hand to stop her twitching fingers, "Relax, they're going to love you."

"I suppose you're right," she sighed and intertwined her hand with Sirius's. "But what if they don't like you?"

Sirius dropped her hand and let out an exasperated sigh. Melora flushed, "Sorry, sorry, I'm just nervous, okay?"

"I know, but it'll be fine love," Sirius said, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her towards him to give her a kiss on the temple.

Melora's blush deepened. Although they had never talked about it, since the kiss outside the Ravenclaw common room, Melora and Sirius had, for what it was what worth, become a couple. They held hands, Sirius put his arm around her, and Melora ran her hands through his hair. They studied together, they got distracted by one another while studying together, they snogged behind library stacks and in broom closets (although the closets were a tight fit with Melora's growing stomach).

But despite all of this, Melora still couldn't think of them as girlfriend and boyfriend. Not because she didn't want to, she was just nervous. She knew they would eventually have to talk about what they "were", but for now she just wanted to enjoy the hand-holding and the snogging and the butterflies he gave her every time they touched.

Time with Sirius was the perfect distraction from the rest of her worries, and Melora wanted to savor it as long as she could. As soon as they decided they were "officially" dating, Melora was convinced Sirius would worm his way from distraction to another worry on her list.

"Ready?" Melora took a deep breath and looked up. They had arrived at the Three Broomsticks.

"As I'll ever be I suppose," she said, biting her lip again.

Sirius opened the door, "Ladies first."

Melora hesitated for an instant, but took a deep breath and forced herself to enter the pub. Sirius followed, the door swinging shut behind him, blocking her only escape.

The blonde took another deep breath, no reason to be nervous. Only the future of her child at stake here, no need to worry.

Sirius put his hand on the small of her back and guided Melora towards the back. "That's them there, isn't it?" he asked.

Melora nodded. She been staring at the Wrights' picture since Healer Jacoby had given it to her and there could be no mistaking them.

When they were several feet away, David Wright looked up and met Melora's eye. He whispered something to his wife, who spun around quickly, nearly whacking her husband's glasses off his face with her long curly brown hair. Both jumped up when Melora and Sirius reached them.

"Melora Jones?" Kendra Wright smiled timidly and held out her hand. She was a short witch, maybe an inch shorter than Melora, with wide eyes and round cheeks.

"That's me," Melora said, chiding herself inwardly for the lame response. Kendra, however, didn't seem to mind, and instead gestured to her husband across the table.

"I'm Kendra and this is my husband, David." David gave a small wave which Melora returned. Unlike his wife, David was tall and lanky with short light brown hair.

"It's nice to meet you," Melora said, "This is my," she paused for a moment, unsure of what to call Sirius, but he saved her the trouble.

"Sirius Black," he said, reaching over Melora to shake Kendra's hand, "I'm the baby's dad." He chuckled and shook his head, "Well actually I guess that's you now Mr. Wright."

David and Kendra looked surprised by the comment, but their expressions quickly turned pleased. "Sit down, sit down!" Kendra said, moving around the table to sit with her husband. Melora took her seat and Sirius sat down next to her.

"So what houses are you in?" David asked.

"I'm in Ravenclaw and Sirius is a Gryffindor," Melora replied.

David and Kendra beamed at this. "We were both in Ravenclaw at school," Kendra told them, "David was a beater on the Quidditch team."

"I wanted to play pro too, but a bludger to the shoulder in my seventh year cut that dream short."

"I'm a beater for Gryffindor," Sirius said.

"Best position on the team," David nodded approvingly.

Sirius laughed. "Try telling that to my best mate. He insists chasers are the life blood of the Quidditch pitch."

David snorted in disbelief. "Sirius, why don't you and I go get some butterbeers for the table?" he suggested. Sirius nodded in agreement.

"It'll give us girls some time alone to chat!" Kendra beamed.

Under the table, Melora's fingers began to fidget again. "I'll just take a gillywater," she said.

When the two men were out of sight, Kendra turned to Melora eagerly. "So how far along are you?" she asked.

"About 22 weeks," Melora replied.

"Oh, but you're so small!" Kendra crooned, "My friend Tilly was twice your size in her second trimester!"

Melora shrugged, "Everyone keeps telling me I'm lucky."

"Oh very," Kendra nodded, "What about morning sickness? Moodiness? Cravings?" her eyes glinted mischievously, "Has your libido raised? My friends tell me pregnancy sex is the best sort."

Melora's face flushed a deep red, "Oh um…I don't, I suppose—"

"Sirius must be in heaven, I mean you look radiant," Kendra continued.

"We're not dating!" Melora blurted out.

Kendra looked taken aback at her outburst. Melora's blush grew. "I mean, we are sort of, maybe, I don't know we haven't really talked about it, but the baby was more of an accident. We don't, erm, shag, um often, or anything."

Kendra too had a slight blush on now. "Oh I'm sorry Melora, I didn't realize…I just assumed…" she trailed off and the two women sat in uncomfortable silence.

Melora peered around the crowded pub for any sign of David or Sirius, but saw no hint of either man. Across the table, Kendra looked miserable.

Melora felt rather bad for the older woman. Perhaps she wasn't the only one who was nervous about the meeting.

"Um, my morning sickness is pretty much over," she said softly. Kendra perked up, "The moodiness comes and goes. Sirius tells me I'm awful, but I think he's just taking the mickey out of me."

Kendra was smiling now and Melora continued, slightly more excited. Although her friends talked to her about her pregnancy, no one besides her healer ever seemed so interested.

"The cravings are just awful," she giggled, "But also kind of awesome because everything tastes good and I can eat as much of it as I like."

"No caffeine though, right? Or alcohol?" Melora opened her mouth to respond, but Kendra cut her off, answering her own question. "Of course not! You ordered a gillywater, I'm sure you've been doing brilliantly keeping that baby healthy."

Melora ducked her head, "I've been trying."

By the time Sirius and David had come back to the table, Kendra and Melora were laughing like old friends.

"Do you think it went well?" Sirius asked when the meeting was over and he and Melora headed back up to the castle.

Melora beamed, "Are you kidding me? It went fantastic! They're perfect."

Sirius laughed and grabbed her hand, swinging their arms as they walked back up to the castle together.

For once it seemed things were finally working out.

* * *

A/N- At least for now dun dun duuunn.

Review please!


	21. The Secret

21-

"Any news on the Remus and Bea front?" Lily asked as she and Melora headed to Potions a few days later.

The two girls and Mary were trying to find out just why Remus kept refusing Beatrice. Bea claimed she was fine and told them to stop, but Melora and Lily had decided to continue their investigation. Especially since it was obvious Remus did fancy Beatrice, whether or not he'd admit it.

Melora made a face, "No, Sirius won't say a word. He keeps insisting he doesn't know anything. What about James?"

"The same," Lily sighed, "Do you think maybe they're telling the truth?"

Melora shook her head. "Those two? No way," she groaned, "I don't understand it! He told her his life was too complicated, but what does that even mean?"

Lily opened her mouth as if to answer Melora, but quickly shut it and shook her head.

"What?" Melora looked at her curiously.

"It's nothing," Lily said quickly, "Just a ridiculous thought I had, forget it."

"Come on," Melora nudged the redhead in the side, "Spill."

"It's just something Sev-Snape used to say," Lily flushed, "About Remus."

Melora's brow furrowed, she often forgot Lily had been friends with the Slytherin boy Sirius and James loved to torture. "Was it that he's gay? Because I'm beginning to wonder…" Melora giggled.

Lily laughed as well and shook her head again, "No, never mind, it was ridiculous anyway."

But as they entered the classroom and took their seats, Melora's curiosity only grew. "Was it that he already has a girlfriend?"

Lily raised a brow, "Why would Snape say something like that?"

Melora shrugged and Lily sighed. "Alright," she whispered, "I know it's crazy, but he used to say Remus was…well, he thought he might be a…a werewolf."

Melora's eyes widened, but before she could respond, Slughorn barreled into the classroom, gleefully instructing the students to take out a quill and a piece of parchment for a pop quiz.

But Melora had trouble focusing on the properties of sleeping potions with the information Lily had just dropped on her swimming in her head.

Remus? A werewolf?

How could that be possible? Remus was one of the nicest, sweetest, gentlest people Melora had ever met.

She always imagined werewolves as terrifying creatures, even when they were humans, with sharp teeth and glinty eyes and a thirst for human blood…

But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Remus disappeared every month, but it was to visit his sick mother. Although it did always seem to fall on a full moon. He was obsessed with reading books about werewolves. She had overheard several long discussions between Remus and Bea on the issue of werewolf legislation.

He always ate his meat near raw, his patronus was a wolf and when they had gone over boggarts in defense class, his had turned into what Melora had thought to be a crystal ball, but she now began to wonder if it was a moon. He was covered in scars and it certainly would explain why he thought it was best for him and Bea to remain friends.

"How d'you think you did?" Lily asked when Slughorn released them after the quiz.

"Awful, couldn't remember a thing," Melora replied, "I was too busy thinking about," she caught sight of James and Remus several steps ahead of them, "that thing you mentioned at the beginning of class."

"Oh no Melora," Lily bit her lip, "Don't, it can't be true."

"But it make so much sense!" she exclaimed, "It's the only logical answer."

Lily shook her head, "It can't be."

"We have to find out," Melora insisted, "He's our friend Lily."

The redhead contemplated this. "Do you think James, Sirius and Peter know?" she asked.

Melora shrugged, "I wouldn't be surprised." She thought back to last month when Remus had left to supposedly visit his mother. The next night, she had asked Sirius to study with her and he had made some excuse before running off with James and Peter. When Melora thought about it, this had happened several times before.

She repeated these thoughts to Lily, who nodded. "The same thing's happened with James," she admitted.

"How could we find out?" Lily said, "It's not like we can just waltz up to Remus and say—"

"Say what?"

Both girls spun around in surprise. James was standing behind them with fairly smug grin on his face.

"How long have you been standing there for?" Melora exclaimed, brushing away some hair that had fallen in her face.

"Long enough to know you two are up to something and it has to do with Remus," James replied.

Melora and Lily exchanged a glance. "Remus and Bea," Melora said slowly, "We want to know what's going on with them."

James rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, seriously? Leave him alone about it. If he doesn't want to date her, he doesn't want to date her."

Melora scowled and gave James a hard whack on the arm. "Oi, that's my best friend you're talking about," she said, hitting him again for good measure.

James backed away and grabbed his arm. "Ow," he hissed, "Merlin Melora why do you always have to result to violence?"

The blonde grinned triumphantly. "Never you mind," she told him, "Just leave Bea out of this."

James shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm just saying it's probably best if you leave Remus alone," he said, emphasizing his last word. "I'll see you in the common room Lils. We still have to come up with the schedule for next week's rounds." He sauntered past the girls, stopping only to give Lily a brief kiss on the head before disappearing down the hallway.

"He so heard more of that conversation," Melora said.

Lily nodded in agreement, "But what do we do?"

"Full moon is this weekend," Melora said thoughtfully, "On Friday."

"Severus told me he thought Remus went to the Shrieking Shack to transform. Said he got there though the Whomping Willow," Lily admitted, "At the time it sounded ridiculous, but now…"

"You know the Willow was planted there the summer before our first year," Melora pointed out.

"And everyone says the howling from the Shrieking Shack is always worse during the full moon," Lily continued.

"Maybe we could follow Remus and see where he goes?" Melora suggested.

Lily looked nervous at this idea. "But if he is a," she looked around suspiciously, "A _you-know-what_—"

Melora rolled her eyes, "Oh Lily, it's not as if he's You-Know-Who."

"I know," the redhead said indigently, "But it could still be dangerous. And you're pregnant Melora."

"Oh yeah," Melora looked down at her round stomach, "I got so caught up in this Remus thing, I forgot."

Lily chuckled. "Well maybe I could go with Bea or Mary."

Melora shook her head. "No, you're right, if Remus is a…you-know-what, it could be dangerous."

"So what do we do?"

Both girls pondered this in silent.

"I've got it!" Lily exclaimed, snapping her fingers, "The Hospital Wing!"

"What about it?" Melora said.

"I saw Remus there once, when he was supposedly visiting his mum. Madame Moffat told me he'd just gotten ill and come back early, but he could've been there after his transformation," she explained.

Melora nodded slowly, "So we wait outside the Hospital Wing Saturday morning and see if Remus is there. That could work."

"So it's settled," Lily smiled nervously, "This weekend we see if Remus is a…" she trailed off and Melora nodded.

"This weekend, we see."

* * *

A/N- The full moon in April of 1978 was in fact on Friday, April 7th. Look at that research.

Hopefully that makes up for the fact that Madame Pomfrey was the school healer that brought Remus down to the Whomping Willow, not my OC Madame Moffat. I may one day edit the story to get rid of Moffat and put Pomfrey in her place, but until then, thanks for ignoring my mistakes and reading anyway.

Review please!


	22. The Full Moon

22-

"Are you two planning on staying here all night?" Melora jumped a little. She had been slowly falling asleep after reading the same line in her Transfiguration book twenty times and from the looks of it across the table, Lily was in the same state.

"Well?" Madame Pince stared down at the two girls who both shook their heads quickly. "Good," Pince sniffed, "Because the library closes in ten minutes, so I suggest you two both get your things and head off to your common rooms."

Lily and Melora both nodded and watched the librarian stalk off before beginning to pack up their belongings.

"I know we were both just dozing off, but I don't think I'll be able to sleep a wink if I go back to my dorm," Melora admitted.

Lily sighed. "I know. Plus I'm worried we'll sleep through the morning."

"What should we do?"

Lily thought this over. "I suppose you can come back with me to the Gryffindor common room," she suggested, "It's almost curfew and I think everyone will pretty much be in bed, so no one will mind."

"Alright," Melora agreed.

The two girls headed back in silence.

"Lily," Melora said right before they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, "What do we do if Remus is actually a werewolf?"

Lily cocked her head, "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Melora shifted uncomfortably, "Do we tell someone or…?" she trailed off.

"No," Lily said immediately, "We talk to Remus first. He's still our friend and just because he's a werewolf doesn't change that."

Melora nodded.

They reached the portrait, but before Lily could give the password, it opened, revealing three boys, James, Sirius and Peter.

"What are you doing here?" All five asked simultaneously.

"We're going to do Transfiguration homework!" James blurted out quickly.

"The library's closed," Lily pointed out.

The three boys exchanged glances.

"We were going to do it in the kitchens?" Peter offered.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Sirius said quickly before Lily or Melora could ask why.

"Charms homework," Melora replied, "Lily's helping me and we'd figured we could do it in your common room."

Sirius frowned, "But you said you did the charms essay yesterday."

Melora flushed, "I…lied?"

Lily sighed, "Okay, clearly none of us are doing homework. So let's just come out with it. Melora was coming over to wait up with me. We were going to check on Remus in the Hospital Wing tomorrow."

"Why would Remus be in the Hospital Wing?" Peter asked nervously, "He's at home with his mum."

The other two boys nodded in agreement. Lily and Melora exchanged a glance. "Oh really?" Lily said, "So if you're not doing homework, where are you going?"

"We're still sticking with the homework story," James shrugged.

"Oh give it up!" Melora exclaimed, "We know that Remus is a werewolf!"

"Shhhh!" Four pairs of hands shot out at Melora, trying to cover her mouth. Melora flushed again, realizing her mistake.

"Sorry," she mumbled when the hands were dropped.

"Give us a minute?" Sirius said. The two girls nodded and the Marauders took a step away, huddling up.

After a minute the boys broke apart and James looked down at his watch. "Girls we don't really have time for this right now, but meet us tomorrow at the Hospital Wing and we'll talk about it then, ok?"

Melora frowned, "Hold on, where are you three going?"

Sirius sighed, "We'll explain everything tomorrow, I promise."

Melora still looked unsure, but she and Lily nodded nonetheless.

The next morning, Lily and Melora woke up well before the rest of the Gryffindor house and made their way down to the Hospital Wing.

They had managed to fall asleep sometime around two in the morning. Although both girls admitted their sleep had been anything but restful.

"I had nightmares," Melora said softly as they walked, "About confronting Remus and him turning into werewolf and attacking me."

"Nothing like that is going to happen," Lily said confidently, "Although I am a little worried about what James, Sirius and Peter were doing last night. I mean, you don't think they go after Remus, do you? What if something happened to them?"

"The boys are reckless, but they're not suicidal," Melora pointed out. Lily nodded, but Melora could tell the redhead didn't quite believe her.

After what seemed like an eternity, they reached the Hospital Wing. Peter was sitting asleep on the ground outside, head lolled to the side, snoring slightly. Melora giggled as Lily reached down and shook his shoulder.

Peter jumped a little, mumbling something about cheese and looked up blearily. "Oh you're here. One second," He stood up and stumbled into the Wing, poking his head out a few second later, "Okay, it's clear, come on in."

The girls followed Peter in and to the back of the room where Sirius and James were sitting by Remus, asleep in a bed.

He looked weak, his skin pale and his cheeks sunken. He was also covered in scars, most of which looked fresh.

Melora shuddered a little. "Is he going to be okay?" she asked.

Sirius nodded. "He's looked worse."

"How long have you three known?" Lily asked.

"We figured it out second year," James replied.

"And you what? Wait for him here every full moon?" Melora tried to picture it, but it seemed odd to imagine the Marauders waiting for anything. But they wouldn't actually go after Remus, would they?

"Not exactly," Peter said.

"Then where do you go?" Lily looked confused, "I mean, you can't go into the Shrieking Shack with him, it's too dangerous!"

"For humans, yes," James said uncomfortably, "But for animals, it's relatively safe. Especially if you go somewhere with more open space, like the Forbidden Forest."

"What do you mean?" Lily's confusion grew, but Melora's eyes widened in understanding.

"You can't have!" she exclaimed, "You're too young! The Ministry would have never allowed! Unless…"

"Unless the Ministry didn't know," Sirius finished.

Lily frowned, "What are you talking about?"

"They're unregistered Animagi," Melora said, "That's how they stay safe and keep Remus company."

Lily let out a little gasp, "That's crazy!"

"How did you even manage it?" Melora added "It's advanced magic."

The boys shrugged. "It wasn't easy," James said, "Took us three years, but it was worth it."

"What do you turn into?" Melora asked.

Lily gave her a glare, but the blonde shrugged, "What? I'm curious."

"James is a stag, I'm a dog, and Peter's a rat," Sirius said quickly.

"Prongs, Padfoot and Wormtail," said Melora, "And here I thought they were just idiotic nicknames."

"And Moony," James added with a slight grin.

Melora looked down at the boy in question. "Did ask him if it was all right for you to tell us?"

Sirius nodded. "He only wanted you two to know though. Said not to tell Bea, specifically."

"Can we go back to the illegal animagi thing?" Lily said sharply, "Do you three have any idea how stupid running around with Remus when he's like that is? You could get yourselves killed!"

"Well we couldn't leave him to suffer alone!" James shot back.

"So you'd put yourselves in harm's way?"

"To help a friend? Yes!"

The couple glared at one another over the bed. "Sirius, you have a responsibility to Melora," Lily hissed, her eyes still trained on James, "You're the father of her baby. I thought you'd grown up enough to see that you can't just go around doing whatever to please anymore. There are people here that care about you. That don't know what they'd do if they," Lily's voice hitched and she turned away, "If they lost you," she finished in a whispered voice.

James' heated look softened. "Lily, I…" he trailed off.

Sirius looked over at Melora. "Sorry," he said, "Remus told me I should stop when we found out about the baby, but I couldn't, we couldn't just leave him."

Melora nodded. "Why don't we talk about it later?" she said quietly, her eyes flickering from Sirius to Remus to Lily and James. James made his way around the bed and encircled his arms around Lily.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. Lily turned in so her face was against his shirt. Melora moved towards Sirius and Peter, feeling very much like she was intruding on a private moment.

"I, I understand," Lily told him quietly, "I just…why do you have to be so damn noble?"

James chuckled and Melora looked at the couple fondly. She wondered idly if someone had told Lily two years ago she would be in this position, would the redhead believe them? Probably not.

A groan from the bed brought Melora's attention back to Remus. Lily and James untangled themselves, although Melora noted James kept his arm around Lily's waist.

Remus opened his eyes slowly and blinked blearily at his friends around the bed. "Hey guys," he rasped, "What's up?"

"Are you feeling okay Remus?" Lily asked, biting the bottom of her lip.

He nodded and sat up slowly, wincing slightly. "I understand if you girls don't want to hang around me anymore," he said, "Especially you Melora, with the baby and all."

"Don't be ridiculous," Lily chided, "We're still going to be your friends, right Melora?"

Melora nodded. "She'd understand, you know."

Remus looked away. "I couldn't put her in that sort of danger. You won't tell her, will you?"

"Of course not," Melora said, "It's your secret to tell. But I've known Beatrice a long time, and I can honestly tell you, she wouldn't care."

Remus shrugged, "I'd care."

Melora wanted to argue some more, but Sirius put a gentle hand on her shoulder and she swallowed her words. It wasn't her place to tell Remus what to do, but now that she knew the Marauders' secret, Melora knew it would be even harder to talk to Bea about the Gryffindor boy.

"We'd better go," James said, glancing at his watch, "Madame Moffat will be in any minute. We'll see you later Moony."

Remus nodded and gave a little wave and the other five hurried out of the hospital wing.

"Will you show me some time?" Melora asked softly as she and Sirius walked behind the others on the way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Show you what?" Sirius raised a brow.

"Your animagus form," Melora said, a slight flush in her cheeks, "It's a dog, right? That's what James said?"

Sirius nodded with a smirk, "He likes to say I should stay that way. Something about my disposition being sweeter as a dog."

"He's probably right," Melora giggled.

"Oi, take that back!" Sirius protested.

"No," Melora replied, sticking out her tongue. Sirius tickled her sides in retaliation and Melora shrieked, jumping away from him.

"Think of your child Black! Your child!" she cried, running to catch up with Lily, James and Peter.

Sirius smiled at her from behind. "I am," he said to himself, "I always am."

* * *

A/N- I'm not really happy with this chapter, but it'll do for now. Thanks so much for all your lovely reviews so far! Have a Happy New Year and I'll see you all in 2012


	23. The Beginning of the End

23-

"Did you hear?"

"Can you believe it?"

"Twenty-three people!"

"I heard forty-seven."

"This is impossible."

"This is awful."

"All those people."

Melora entered the Great Hall the next week to a buzzing student body. Something was wrong, she could feel it in the air, but it wasn't until she sat down next to Beatrice at the Hufflepuff table she realized why.

Bea was sitting with her roommates Dorcas Meadows and Anna Hudson, their heads bent over a Daily Prophet. Melora could see the headline from across the table, 'Attack on Diagon Alley- Death Toll Still Rising'.

Melora let out a gasp and the three girls across the table looked up. "It's awful, isn't it?" Dorcas said sadly, "They're saying it was You-Know-Who."

"A few people have already been called to the Headmaster's office," Anna continued, "I think it's mostly for injured family members, but I heard Ken Lyle's mum Peter Clearwater's sister were both killed."

"That's terrible," Melora said, thinking back to the last letter she had received from her mum. There had been no mention of going to Diagon Alley in the near future and Melora hoped that meant her parents had been far away from the attack.

"Isn't it just?" Dorcas sighed, putting aside the paper, "I mean you hear about little things here and there, but something as big as this…I never thought it would happen." She glanced over at the Slytherin table. "Doubt any of their relatives were harmed."

"Dorcas!" Bea chided, "Don't say something like that."

"It's true though," Dorcas argued, "Everyone knows what house most of the Death Eaters come from, and it isn't Ravenclaw. Every other day I catch Mulciber or Avery hexing some innocent muggleborn first year," she adjusted her prefect badge, "Wish I could do more than just take points."

Melora opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the appearance of her head of house, Professor Flitwick.

"Miss Jones!" he squeaked, "There you are. The headmaster would like a word with you."

Melora's face drained of color. "Why?"

A shadow crossed over Flitwick's face. "I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to say."

Melora swallowed thickly and stood up. Bea grabbed her hand. "Do you want me to come?" she whispered.

"No," Melora shook her head, "I'll be okay."

Bea's face looked like she doubted that very much and as Melora followed her professor out of the Great Hall, trying to ignore the whispers that erupted behind her as she went, the blonde had to admit she doubted herself too.

Was it her parents? Her uncle or aunt?

"I'll take it from here Filius," Melora looked up at Professor McGonagall standing outside the door, Sirius behind her.

"Melora," he reached out his hand, which the girl ignored as she threw herself into his arms.

"Do you know…?"

"No," he whispered, "I don't."

"This way," Professor McGonagall instructed. The two teens broke from their embrace, but remained holding hands as they climbed the staircases to the Headmaster's office.

Surely it had to be someone from Melora's family the girl reasoned. If it had been the Potters, James would be here too, and if it was someone from Sirius' family, his younger brother Regulus would be here.

"Pumpkin Pasties," McGonagall said to the gargoyle statues when they reached the office. They jumped aside, revealing the staircase. McGonagall stepped aside for Melora and Sirius, following behind them.

Professor Dumbledore was seated behind his desk when they reached the office. He gestured for Melora and Sirius to take a seat in front of him. McGonagall remained standing by the entrance.

"The reason I've called you both here this morning is, as I'm sure you've heard, there has been an attack on Diagon Alley."

They nodded. Melora's grip on Sirius' hand tightened.

"While all of your family members are safe," Melora let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Dumbledore continued, "I'm afraid the couple who were planning on adopting your baby, Kendra and David Wright were found dead several hours ago."

Melora's eyes widened and she dropped Sirius' hand. "No, I mean, you've got to be kidding me. I wrote to Kendra yesterday! This isn't possible."

She stood quickly, nearly knocking over her chair in the process. "There's got to be some mistake Headmaster," Melora pleaded, Sirius stood and tried to reach out to her, but Melora shook him off, "Please tell me this is a mistake."

"I'm sorry Miss Jones," Dumbledore said softly, "There's no mistake. Their bodies were identified this morning."

"No," Melora fell back down into her chair, "I can't, they can't…" Tears filled up her eyes. "The baby…"

Melora was vaguely aware of Sirius sitting down next to her and picking up her limp hand. She could hear Headmaster Dumbledore asking if they'd like to be put in contact with the Wrights' family, but it seemed like he was miles away.

All Melora could think about was Kendra Wright's bright face. Her excitement at having the baby. They had been writing regularly since their first meeting about everything from how the baby was progressing to Melora's schoolwork to baby names to Kendra's work at the Daily Prophet. They had been planning to meet again at the next Hogsmeade visit. In her last letter Kendra had mentioned an adorable pink jumper she couldn't resist buying for the baby.

'_It's the cutest thing,'_ Kendra had written, _'And it has an 'E' on it. I was thinking it could be for Emily. I love the name Emily, maybe Emma for short.'_

And now she was gone? Just like that?

"Melora?"

The blonde snapped to attention, suddenly aware of the wet tracks running down her cheeks. She hadn't even noticed she'd started crying.

"What?"

"I was saying you two will be excused from classes," Dumbledore said kindly, "Until you're ready to return."

Melora nodded and muttered her thanks, allowing Sirius to help her out of the chair and guide her out of the office.

Professor McGonagall escorted them out, but went a separate way when they reached the bottom of the staircase.

When they were alone, Sirius turned Melora to face him and leaned down so they were eye to eye.

"Hey, you okay?"

"No," Melora said, looking down. The tears began to build up again. "Of course I'm not okay. Kendra and David are dead Sirius. They're dead. And now this baby, our baby… it was perfect, and now it's all gone. It's all gone to shit!" She broke down, heavy sobs racking her body.

Sirius enveloped her in his arms, pulling her as close has her stomach allowed, stroking her hair. "Shh, it's going to be alright," he said softly.

"No it's not," Melora mumbled into his jumper, "It's not."

* * *

A/N- So in case you were curious, we're currently in late April and Melora is 27 weeks along. The next chapter deals with the aftermath of the Wrights' death and in the one after that, Sirius and Melora will try and find a new couple to adopt their baby.


	24. The Fourth Day

24-

"Any luck?" Sirius shook his head and slumped into the seat on the bench between James and Peter. Lily, Mary and Remus looked up from the other side of the table where they were discussing the Charms homework.

"She's still in her dorm. Her roommates have been bringing her food, but they say she's not talking to any of them," he said gloomily.

"That's rough mate," James said, clapping his friend on the shoulder.

Sirius shrugged and halfheartedly scooped some eggs onto his plate. It had been three days since they had received the news about the Wrights. Although Melora had told him she would only take one day off of classes when he walked her back to her dorm, since they had said goodbye that morning, Melora hadn't left her room.

And now that they were working their way onto the fourth day, Sirius was getting, well, seriously worried.

He had talked to Beatrice the other day after the Hufflepuff had tried to get her friend to at least come down and eat something, but according to Bea, not only wouldn't Melora budge, she wouldn't say a word.

Her roommates reported the same story when Sirius had tried to check up on her this morning.

"I don't know what to do," Sirius lamented, pushing his eggs around on his plate.

"You just have to wait," Lily told him, "She needs time alone. When she's ready to come out, she will."

Sirius nodded reluctantly and James nudged him. "If you're done sculpting your eggs, we should get to Transfiguration."

Sirius sighed and pushed his still-full plate aside, "Yeah I'm done."

Behind him, Remus and James shared a worried look.

* * *

Up in the Ravenclaw dormitories, Melora laid curled up in her bed, arms tucked around her stomach.

"Melora?" Eleanor said hesitantly. The blonde could see her roommate's shadow outside her curtains, but she didn't respond.

"I'm going to leave some breakfast out here for you," Eleanor continued, "If you need anything else, Stacey will be back after Divination."

Melora closed her eyes and waited to hear the dorm door to slam shut before opening them. Her stomach growled and she winced as she sat up.

"Sorry baby," she mumbled, pulling back her curtains. Eleanor had left a tray of sausages and toast on her bedside table. Melora grabbed a slice of toast and munched on it halfheartedly.

As she ate, Melora caught sight of her reflection in the window and sighed heavily. She was a mess. Her hair was limp and greasy after not having been washed in two days and her skin was pale and spotty.

She had never meant for it to become this bad. Of course she had been upset upon hearing the news of the Wrights' death, but Melora knew she had to move on and was fully planning on it until she had received an owl from Kendra's mother that night.

The letter had been full of how excited Kendra had been over the past few weeks about adopting the baby, how much joy Melora had brought into their lives, how much Kendra had adored her. And finally, Kendra's mother asked if Melora would like to attend the funeral.

Reading the letter sent Melora over the edge. Suddenly the death of her and David became incredibly real, and Melora was overwhelmed with sadness, not only for the couple, but for the family that included her baby that would now never exist.

And whenever she tried to get up and leave the dorm or do anything other than lie in bed and cry, she was reminded of that fact and dissolved into tears. Melora knew this wasn't good for the baby, but she couldn't bring herself to stop grieving. How could she even think of having this baby when it now had nowhere to go?

Melora grabbed another slice of toast and slid back into bed. Tomorrow, she promised herself, tomorrow, she'd go back to classes.

* * *

"I have an idea," Sirius announced that night in the Gryffindor Common Room.

Peter and Remus, who had been studying Charms by the fireplace, looked up.

"What's the idea?" Peter asked.

Sirius, who had been standing in a fairly heroic stance, with his legs apart, one hand on his hip, and the other holding his broom, deflated a bit. "You can't tell?"

Remus looked back down at his textbook. "He's going to fly to Melora's dorm and try and cheer her up."

Sirius beamed, "Brilliant, right?"

"You're not going to try and take her flying, are you?" Mary chirped in from her seat next to the boys.

"Of course not!" Sirius scoffed, "I'm not an idiot."

"Just checking," Mary said, "Remember to be sensitive Sirius. It's hard enough losing someone without pregnancy hormones amplifying your emotions."

"What do you think I'm going to do Mary?" Sirius asked, "Chuck her out a window and tell her to get over it?"

"No," Mary rolled her eyes, "But you have to admit, you're not the most tactful person."

"I've got plenty of tact," Sirius argued, looking at Peter and Remus for support. Remus shook his head and Peter shrugged helplessly.

"Fine," Sirius grumbled, "I'll be extra sensitive."

"Good luck," the three Gryffindors chorused.

* * *

The tapping on the window woke Melora up. At first she dismissed it as an owl and waited for one of her roommates to get it, but as the tapping continued and grew louder, Melora realized her roommates were all either at the library or in the common room and that the tapping was much too loud for an owl.

Pulling back her curtain, she stumbled over to the window and nearly fell over when she saw a face staring back at her.

'Open up,' Sirius mouthed, gesturing to the window.

Melora did as he asked and jumped back as Sirius maneuvered his broom through the window into the dorm.

"What are you doing?" she exclaimed as he dismounted.

"Well you wouldn't come down so I thought I'd come up."

"You're insane," Melora told him.

"Yes," Sirius nodded solemnly.

Despite herself, Melora smiled and sat down on her bed, motioning for Sirius to join her.

"You really shouldn't be here," she said, "My roommates will be back any minute."

Sirius shrugged. "I'm a little bit more concerned with you than with the rules."

Melora flushed. "I'm fine," she insisted, "Just a little sad, that's all."

"You haven't left your dorm in four days," he leaned back, "And it looks like you haven't showered in four days either."

"S'not that bad," Melora mumbled, pushing her hair back self-consciously.

"It is," Sirius replied, "And I know you're upset about the Wrights, I am too, but you've—we've got to move on."

Melora could feel the tears welling up in her eyes once more. She turned away in a vain effort to hide them from Sirius. "You don't understand," she said softly, "How can I, how can I move on? Without them we've got nothing! Our baby has nothing."

Sirius fought off the urge to tell Melora what had been on his mind since finding out about the Wrights' deaths. A thought that had been there even before, but had been unable to come true until now.

What if they kept the baby?

He did, after all, have quite a bit of money from Uncle Alphard and his own place. Her parents or the Potters could help out. They could do it, the two, no, the three of them, be a family.

But as Sirius put his hand on Melora's shoulder and slowly turned her to face him, the words died in this throat. Her face was red and wet from crying, her brown eyes begging him for an answer, but not the one he wanted to give. He couldn't ask that of Melora. He wanted to keep the baby, but she wanted a future beyond becoming a mother at 18.

"We can find a new couple," he told her instead, "There were plenty of files we never looked at. And until then, we've got each other."

"Do you really believe that Sirius?" Melora asked quietly.

"Yes," he said, "Of course I do."

For the first time in four days, there was a glimmer of hope in Melora's eyes. "Okay," she said softly, "It's going to be okay."

Sirius nodded and kissed her lightly on the forehead. Melora smiled up at him and pulled him down to give him a real kiss, which Sirius responded to enthusiastically.

"You know," Melora said when they broke apart, "My baby book says the baby can hear us now."

"Oh yeah?" Sirius leaned down to her stomach, "How's it going down there?"

"Stop it!" Melora giggled, hitting him lightly on the stomach. "You're supposed to play her music to encourage mental growth, not ask her stupid questions."

"I rather like my method better," Sirius responded, sticking out his tongue in her face.

Melora shoved him away. "You'd better go," she said, "Stacey's supposed to be back any minute."

"Alright," Sirius said reluctantly, grabbing his broom from the floor, "But you'll come down tomorrow? At least for breakfast, if not classes?"

She nodded.

"Good," Sirius gave her a quick peck before hopping on the windowsill and flying out the window.

Melora watched him fly out of sight fondly, before leaning down to her belly. "That was your daddy," she whispered softly, "He and I are going to keep you safe always, no matter what. Okay little Emma?"

The blonde felt a small kick in response and her smile grew wider.

"Emma it is."

* * *

A/N- Aww. So good news, I had a fit of inspiration the other day and wrote a ton instead of doing my homework. So hopefully, updates should be a little closer together. We're getting towards the end now and right now I have 11 more chapters planned, give or take.


	25. The Idea

25-

The next week and a half was tough for Melora, but she somehow made it through to Friday, when, after classes, she and Sirius traveled to St. Mungo's for her checkup.

Healer Jacoby was just as bubbly as always, but Melora could tell she was walking on eggshells the entire appointment. Jacoby cheerfully announced the baby was in perfect health, as was Melora, but she rarely made eye contact and avoided any talk of the Wrights. It wasn't until the very end that the healer finally brought up the question that had been on both Melora and Sirius's mind for the past two weeks.

"So have you made any decisions about the baby since the Wrights," Healer Jacoby paused as she considered her words, "Since the Wright's passing?"

Melora shrugged, trying to keep her tears at bay. Lately it seemed she was turning into a human faucet. "We'd still like to find a couple to adopt," she said softly.

Jacoby nodded. "Well we haven't had any new couples come in since the Wrights. But you still have the folders of the other couples on the waiting list, right?"

"Yes, but," Melora bit her lip, "None of those couples are exactly what we're…looking for."

Healer Jacoby sighed. "I know. The difficulty in adoption is that it isn't as common in the Wizarding World as in the muggle world. To be honest, if none of the couples available suit you, the next best option would to be to try and find an interested muggle couple."

"We could do that?" Melora asked surprised.

"Oh yes," the healer nodded again, "It's rare but I had another young woman go through the process a few years ago. You'll need to get in touch with someone at the Ministry to make sure the Statue of Secrecy remains in place, but it's perfectly doable."

Melora considered this and looked over at Sirius to see what he thought of this idea, but the Gryffindor stared determinedly at the bookcase behind Jacoby's desk.

"We'll think about it," Melora said.

"Do," Jacoby smiled, "But give those other folders another look as well. I'll see you in two weeks Melora."

The journey back to Hogwarts was silent and tense. Whenever Melora attempted to engage Sirius in conversation, he brushed her off quickly. By the time they reached the castle, Melora was at her wits end.

"What's wrong with you?" she huffed as they headed past the Great Hall up the stairs.

"Nothing," he insisted, "I'm fine."

"You're obviously not," Melora scoffed, "You haven't been this quiet since I told you I was pregnant and you fainted."

"It's just," Sirius seemed to struggle with his words for a moment, "I can't believe you're actually considering it."

"Considering what?"

"Letting muggles adopt our baby!"

Melora stopped dead on the staircase landing, taken aback by her boyfriend's words. "I thought you didn't believe in blood supremacy," she said slowly.

"I don't!" he exclaimed, "I just…if muggles adopt our baby, she'll grow-up believing she's a muggle and then when her Hogwarts letter comes, she'll think she's a muggleborn witch and—"

"And what? What's wrong with that? Lily's a muggleborn. My mum's a muggleborn. Mary's muggleborn! Beatrice's dad is a muggle. There's nothing wrong with that!" Melora argued.

Sirius was always preaching how wrong the pureblood ideals were and how much he despised his family for buying into them. She couldn't believe he could say all that and then turn around and say he didn't want their daughter to grow-up muggleborn.

"I know there's nothing wrong with being muggleborn!" Sirius rubbed the bridge of his nose, "But how many times have you heard Lily talk about how much her and her sister don't get along? Or Bea complain about how her and her dad have nothing to talk about? For Merlin's sake, even you're always telling me how awkward it is when you go to your muggle grandparents' house for the holidays. I just don't want that for our daughter. I want her to know who she is. I want her to not have to worry about fitting in two different worlds. To know that she belongs here, in the Wizarding world with us."

Melora took a sharp breath as she realized what Sirius was saying. "Sirius, do you-do you want to keep the baby?"

Sirius's face turned red and he shook his head quickly. "No, no! I just, I just think she should go to a Wizarding home, that's all. I mean, I wouldn't want to keep the baby unless, maybe you wanted to too?"

Melora looked away, trying to organize her thoughts. "I don't know, I mean, I haven't really thought about it."

"Me neither!" Sirius exclaimed a little too loudly, "But if you wanted to," he paused, "I might want to too."

Melora didn't respond, still staring at a suit of armor down the corridor.

"I should go," Sirius said, his face still flushed, "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," Melora said softly. Sirius gave her a light kiss on the cheek before heading towards the Gryffindor common room. Melora remained on the landing, Sirius's words swimming in her head.

It was true that it might not be fair to give their daughter to a muggle couple. Unless their daughter was a squib, which Melora doubted (call it a mother's instinct) she would receive a letter to Hogwarts when she turned eleven. And it was rare to find a muggleborn witch or wizard whose relationship with someone in their family hadn't been damaged by getting that letter.

She couldn't knowingly put her daughter through that.

Which left two options. Go back through the magic couples, or…keep the baby.

Melora had largely been against keeping the baby to begin with because, not only was she only 18, but she had believed herself to be alone in this mess. But if Sirius was not only willing to be there, but actually wanted to, well that left Melora wondering if keeping the baby was such a bad idea after all.

Oh Merlin, she was actually considering, wasn't she?

It would be hard, yes, but Sirius had his own flat already so she and the baby could move in with him. And he had mentioned something about inheriting money from an uncle, so that could take care of expenses until they both got jobs. Her mother didn't work and Melora was fairly sure the Potters were retired, so perhaps they could watch the baby when she and Sirius were working.

They could do this.

A giddiness rose up in Melora as she hurried down the corridor towards the Ravenclaw Common Room.

She wouldn't tell anyone yet, not until she was sure, but Melora just knew.

She was keeping her baby.

* * *

A/N- Short, but I have a feeling you won't mind with that ending. But don't worry, things are far from over.

A/N-


	26. The Game

26- 

"Oh! I've got one!"

"You can't have, cause she just kicked over here."

"Hardly, I've felt a punch at least twice on this side."

Melora peeked over her textbook at the two boys crouched down next to her stomach. "You know," she said, "When Healer Jacoby told me to start counting her kicks, I don't think she meant for you two to turn it into some kind of game."

Sirius and James both scoffed and resumed their debate over which side the baby's most recent kick had been on.

Melora rolled her eyes and returned to her book. She had been craving some macaroons, so Sirius and James offered to walk her down to the kitchens. And of course when she'd mentioned Healer Jacoby had recommended she start counting the baby's kicks and she was planning on doing it this afternoon, James and Sirius eagerly jumped on a chance to make a game out of it.

So Melora had sat on a stool, kicked up her feet (which were getting more swollen by the day) and allowed the boys to have at it on her stomach.

She believed the game was basically the one with the most kicks on his side wins, but they spent most of the time squabbling about where the line was on her stomach that Melora was fairly sure they were missing quite a few.

She decided it didn't really matter, she'd do it later tonight for real.

The last two weeks had been unpleasant to say the least. In addition to the return of her earlier symptoms, she'd also been dealing with the stress of NEWTs, which were drawing ever closer.

The mood swings she could deal with. The properties of the Draught of the Living Dead? Not so much.

On the plus side, her classmates seemed to have lost interest in her. Since it was fairly obvious from her large stomach she was pregnant, and also quite blatant that she and Sirius were in a relationship, be it the making out in broom closets (the ones she could fit in anyway) or the holding hands on their way to class, the only gossip that really remained was whether Sirius had proposed or not. This rumor was usually put to rest by the lack of ring on Melora's finger, but it had dug its way into her mind.

If she told Sirius about her decision to keep their baby, would he propose?

And more importantly, if he proposed, would she say yes?

They were both so young, but they did already have a child together. And she rather liked the sound of Emily Black.

She also liked the sound of Melora Black.

Melora flushed at the thought and buried her face in her textbook. Not that Sirius or James noticed. They were still bickering over whose side the baby had kicked on.

On the other hand, Melora didn't want Sirius proposing because he thought he had to. He was, after all, a chivalrous Gryffindor, and Melora was sure the idea would pop into his head. She wanted him to propose because he loved her. No, she wanted him to propose because he was in love with her.

There was a very distinct difference in Melora's mind. You could love anyone. A friend, a relative, a baby, a baby's dad. But the person you married, the person you spent the rest of your life with, you have to be_ in_ love with them.

And although Melora loved Sirius, and she knew she always would, she didn't know if she was_ in_ love with him.

"Doesn't matter anyway."

Melora looked up at James and Sirius who were both standing now and stretching their legs.

"What do you mean?" Sirius shot back, "It would have changed everything!"

"Hardly," James scoffed, "I was ahead by miles."

"So I'm guessing James won?" Melora said dryly.

Sirius frowned and offered her a hand to get off the stool. "You weren't paying attention?"

"I was studying," Melora replied, waving her textbook as the three left the kitchens and headed up to their common rooms, "You do know NEWTs are in a month, right?"

"I know," Sirius said quizzically, "So why are you studying now?"

"Especially," James added, "When there are more important things going on."

"The baby's not due until after NEWTs," Melora pointed out, "So I think exams take precedence."

"Not the baby," James said dismissively.

Melora and Sirius glared and he threw his hands up in defense. "Not that the baby isn't important. The baby is the most important! But NEWTs definitely come second to…"

The couple stared at him blankly and James sighed. "Quidditch!" he cried, "The final is next weekend! I'm finally going to win the cup!"

"James you won the cup last year," Melora smirked.

"Yes but against Hufflepuff," James made a face, "I could do that with one hand tied behind my back. This year we've got to beat Ravenclaw by 135 points to edge out Slytherin."

"Ooh, sounds like a real challenge," Melora teased.

James puffed out his chest and ran a hand through his hair. "Hardly."

"Will you be in the stands cheering for me?" Sirius asked wrapping his arm around the blonde's shoulder and pulling her closer.

"Oh I'll definitely wish you the best of luck, but I'm afraid I've got House loyalties to stand by," Melora sighed dramatically, slipping out from under Sirius's arm.

"Ouch," Sirius laid a hand over his heart, "You cut me deep Mel."

Melora giggled. "It doesn't really matter who I'm cheering for, I can't attend anyway. I've got another healer appointment that day."

"Again?" James cocked his head, "Didn't you go last week?"

"I'm supposed to go every two weeks," Melora explained, "My mum's coming with but it shouldn't take long. I can catch up with you after the game and help you heal those nasty scars Ravenclaw is sure to leave when they beat your arses at Quidditch."

Joking aside, Melora was quite anxious to meet her mum at St. Mungo's the following weekend. She'd decided that if she was going to keep the baby, she most definitely couldn't do it without her mother.

Unfortunately, the very idea of telling Maryanne Jones what she was planning sent Melora into a fit of anxiety and paralyzed her with fear. Since they had met in the lobby fifteen minutes ago, Melora had hardly spoken two words. Instead she buried her face in her Transfiguration textbook, not unlike she had early that week in the kitchens, and counted the minutes until Healer Jacoby called her in.

But the longer they sat there, the more Melora relaxed and the more she ran the words over in her head, the more she thought she could do this.

"Mum?"

"Yes dear?" Mrs. Jones looked up from her Magic Monthly to her daughter. Melora sat with her ankles crossed, eyes trained on the wall across from them. She had managed to pull the textbook down from her face, so it now sat open on her lap.

"How would you feel if maybe I kept the baby?"

Magic Monthly slid out of Mrs. Jones' hands.

"What?"

All at once Melora turned to her mother and her plans tumbled out of her mouth. Not in the neat practiced way she'd planned to tell her mum, but in a jumbled hurried mess. As much as Melora wanted to stay calm, she couldn't and by the time she ran out of words, she just prayed her mother didn't drag her to the mental ward.

But Maryanne Jones just slumped down in her chair.

"I had a feeling it would end this way," she sighed, "Especially when that poor couple was killed."

Melora bit her lip. "Are you mad?" she asked softly.

"Oh love, how can I be mad?" Her mum shook her head, "You just want to keep what I suppose is rightfully yours. And I can't take that away from you. You're 18, an adult in the Wizard and muggle world. It's your choice. But Melora," Maryanne face her daughter, "This decision is permanent. Are you sure you can take on the responsibility of raising a child?"

"I won't be alone Mum," Melora said, "Sirius will be there."

"Are you sure about that?"

Melora was taken aback by her mum's quick question, but before she could formulate a response, the door to Healer Jacoby's office opened and the healer stuck her head out.

"Come in Melora!"

* * *

A/N- Bit of a filler, but a quick update nonetheless! Next chapter, Melora has news for Sirius and Dumbledore holds a meeting.


	27. The Meeting

27- 

"Hey Sirius?"

"Hey Melora!" Sirius beamed up at his pregnant girlfriend. The blonde was shifting from foot to foot, avoiding his eyes and looking all around nervous, but Sirius tried his best to ignore this. He hadn't seen much of Melora in the past two weeks and although she insisted she was fine, just busy with studying, he had a feeling she was avoiding him.

"I was wondering if we could maybe meet up and talk later tonight," Melora said, eyes focused on his goblet.

"Sure," Sirius replied, "Could we do it right after dinner? I have to go to this thing at night."

Melora looked at him curiously, but nodded and scurried away. Sirius was glad she seemed interesting in talking to him again, but even gladder she hadn't questioned him on what he had to do later.

He and the Marauders along with Lily had all received letters yesterday at breakfast from the Headmaster requesting their presence in his office at 8 tonight and although Sirius was sure it wasn't anything bad, he wasn't sure enough to tell Melora about it.

Considering how preoccupied she looked lately, Sirius decided it would be best if he didn't give her anything else to fret over.

"Hey Padfoot," James appeared across the table from Sirius, "I saw Melora, you two work things out?"

"We weren't fighting," Sirius pointed out, "She's just been busy."

"What did she want?"

Sirius shrugged. "She didn't say, just asked if we could talk later."

James let out a low whistle. "Sounds bad mate."

"What are you talking about?" Sirius frowned.

James rolled his eyes. "What do you say to a girl before breaking up with her?"

"We need to…oh."

James nodded solemnly. "Talking is never good."

"I'm sure she's not going to break up with me," Sirius shook his head, "Things have been going great."

_Except for you basically telling her you want to keep the baby_, a small voice in his head reminded him.

But that had been weeks ago, Sirius thought dismissively, surely if it had bothered Melora she would have brought it up back then.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Sirius said.

James did not look so convinced but he nodded in agreement. "You're probably right."

But the sinking feeling in his chest made Sirius doubt very much that he was.

The looming fear of his conversation with Melora stayed with Sirius for the rest of the day. His friends, however, were focused on the other meeting.

James and Lily had found out several others in their year had been sent letter to attend including Dorcas Meadows in Hufflepuff and Benjy Fenwick in Ravenclaw. Rumor was it had something to do with recent attack by You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters.

"Maybe it's got something to do with protecting the students," Lily suggested as the five walked down to dinner.

"But we're all graduating in two months," James pointed out, "How much can we do in that short time? Fenwick reckons Dumbledore's trying to recruit people for a group fighting back against You-Know-Who in ways the Ministry isn't."

Sirius attempted to keep his attention on the discussion, but found himself slipping in and out. As curious as he was to why they were being called to Dumbledore's office, he was far too worried about what Melora was going to say to him to think about much else.

During dinner, he attempted to catch Melora's eye, but the blonde was sitting at the Ravenclaw table with her back to him and her head bent low, her roommates chattering around her.

Sirius ate quickly, hoping Melora would be doing the same, but it wasn't until the dessert disappeared from the table that she slowly turned around and nodded her head towards the door.

"I'll meet you at Dumbledore's office," Sirius said quickly to his friends, heading for the door before they could respond.

"Hey," he said breathlessly when they reached each other, "What did you want to talk about?"

Melora took his hand and tugged him out of the Great Hall. "Let's go outside," she suggested.

It was a fairly brilliant spring day. Winter had lasted well into March and most of April had been rainy, but since May had come, the sun had been shining bright and the Hogwarts grounds were proof of it. The trees were bright green, patches of flowers had sprung up, and the even the Black Lake seemed to glisten. The sun was just setting as Sirius and Melora made their way outside, coloring the sky a combination of orange, red, pink and purple.

But Sirius noticed none of that, instead focusing on Melora who was twisting a strand of her blond hair nervously.

"I have to ask you something," she said slowly, "And I've been thinking about this for a while so you have to promise not to say anything until I'm finished."

Sirius nodded eagerly.

"Since the Wrights died, I've had this feeling of hopelessness. At first I thought it was because they wouldn't have the baby, but now I think it was because I felt that if they couldn't have the baby, nobody could. Even though there were other couples, none of them felt right.

"Then after that Healer appointment, when you said we could keep the baby, I started thinking maybe none of those other couples felt right because they weren't supposed to have the baby. Maybe we were supposed to keep her. And since then, all I've been able to do is think about how much I want to keep this baby. How much I want to raise her and watch her take her first steps and hear her say her first words.

"But I can't do this on my own. When I went to the Healer with my mum, I asked her if she would help and she told me she would, but she also told me that I can't, I can't," Melora broke off and took a deep breath. "Sirius if I do, if I'm doing this, I have to take it seriously. It's not a school assignment or a well thought out prank. This baby's a living breathing human being whose life will depend on me and anyone I choose to help me. And I want you to help me."

They had walked fairly far from the school now and Sirius stopped Melora, grabbing her other hand so they were standing face to face. She looked up at him, brown eyes shining with tears.

"I will do anything for you, for this baby," he told her honestly.

Melora smiled. "I know."

Sirius looked down at their entwined hands. "I don't have a ring, but…"

"No," Melora said quickly, "Sirius no."

He looked back to her in surprise. "Why not?"

"I want to do this right," she replied, "And doing this, getting married, just because we're keeping the baby isn't giving us a fair chance. After Hogwarts, I'm going to move back in with my parents with Emily and I want you to be around, I want you to be her dad, but between you and me, I want to take things slow."

"But I love you."

Melora's eyes widened at the confession and Sirius flushed.

"I-I love you too," she replied softly.

"You do?"

Melora nodded, her own face quite pink as well. "But I think this is our best chance. I mean we're still going to be together, just not living together, just not married, okay?"

Sirius hesitated, but then nodded. "Okay."

The two stood in silence, smiling at one another for a moment, before Sirius realized what Melora had said before.

"Emily, huh?"

Melora shrugged, embarrassed. "Do you like it?"

"I love it," Sirius grinned, leaning down to give her a kiss.

* * *

The two made their way back to the castle a few minutes later, hand in hand. They didn't talk much, but when Sirius left Melora at the Ravenclaw Common Room, he kissed her twice. Once on the lips and once on the stomach.

Melora rolled her eyes, but the pleased smile on her face told Sirius she hadn't minded at all. He lingered at the bottom of the steps, watching her make her way up the winding staircase, until the chime of a bell rang through the corridor and he was reminded he had to be half-way across the castle in fifteen minutes.

The run wasn't too bad, but Sirius had debated several times transforming into a dog before reaching the office. Four legs were faster than two, but he didn't want to risk someone reporting a stray dog running around the castle.

James was waiting for him by the entrance to Dumbledore's office.

"So how'd it go?" He asked grimly.

Sirius beamed. "Brilliant actually. I'll tell you about it tonight."

James looked curious, but didn't question him further and instead gave the password to the gargoyles, who jumped aside in response, and led his friend up the staircase.

"Everyone else is here," James told him quickly, "There's ten of us, all seventh-years. The four of us and Lily are all from Gryffindor, Dorcas Meadows, Annabeth Baker, and Liam MacMillan from Hufflepuff, and two from Ravenclaw, Fenwick and Roberta Shaw."

"No Slytherins?" Sirius said.

"No, so it's definitely got something to do with You-Know-Who," James nodded, "There's some Aurors here too."

James pushed open the door to the Headmaster's office and the two boys stepped in. Most of the occupants were spread around the room talking, and didn't notice their entrance, but Lily, Remus and Peter all came over quickly.

"Frank Longbottom and Alice Dell are both here, Dorcas says they're engaged and both just finished Auror training," Lily whispered excitedly.

"Alastor Moody's here as well," Remus added, "And the Prewett twins that graduated three years ago? Elphias Doge, Edgar Bones, it's a regular who's who of the Wizarding World."

Sirius looked around in surprise, Remus was right. Most of the wizards and witches that weren't students in the room he had read about at one point or another in the Daily Prophet.

There was a loud 'a-hem' from the back of the room, and everyone turned to Dumbledore, who was standing by his desk, looking fairly grim. "Now that all our guests have arrived, I'd like to explain why I've called you here tonight.

As some as you already know, there is a great threat growing in the Wizarding World. Lord Voldemort," several people in the room shuttered, "is getting stronger each day and recruiting more followers, each younger than the last.

"It has come to my attention that the Ministry may not be able to do what is necessary to combat the threat of Lord Voldemort." Next to Sirius, Peter let out a little squeak.

"In the face of these bureaucratic blocks, I, and several of my colleagues," Dumbledore nodded to Moody and Doge, "Have decided to begin a fight of our own by creating a secret society called the Order of the Phoenix, working within the Ministry to oppose Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. As the best and the brightest, along with the most courageous students Hogwarts has to offer, we would like to extend an invitation to everyone here to join us. I must warn you it will be dangerous, and there is no way of telling what perils you will face, but the work you'll be doing will not only protect your friends and family, but the Wizarding World at large."

Dumbledore flicked his wand and a sheet of parchment and a quill floated up next to him. "Anyone interested, need only sign their name. Those of you still in Hogwarts will not be asked to participate fully until you've graduated. Anyone who does not wish to join need only say so and you will be allowed to leave, as long as you remain quiet on what was discussed here tonight."

Sirius looked around the room. Most everyone looked some combination of worried and excited. The Prewett twins were already making their way towards the parchment and most of the others who were out of school were following suit. But Bobbie Shaw looked rather ill, and Baker and MacMillan were both shaking their heads.

"What do you think?" James asked softly.

Remus shrugged. "I don't know it sound dangerous."

Peter nodded, but Lily cocked her head thoughtfully. "But Dumbledore's right, Voldemort's getting more powerful and somebody's got to do something. Why not us?"

Sirius thought of Melora and their baby. Melora's mum was muggleborn, did that put her and the baby at risk of being killed by Voldemort?

His throat tightened at the idea and he remembered Wrights. All they had done was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That was all it took to be killed in this world.

"I'm going to do it," he announced.

James grinned. "Me too. I was thinking about going into Auror training, but why bother when you can get straight into the action?"

Lily rolled her eyes, but agreed. "Voldemort's going to try and kill me anyway, being muggleborn and all, I might as well fight back," she said.

James looked scandalized. "You really think I'd let those Death Eaters get their slimy mitts on you?"

"Of course not," Lily laughed giving James a light peck on the cheek.

Remus watched them with a smile. "It's not like I was going to get a job out of Hogwarts anyway," he shrugged.

Sirius, James and Peter protested this, but Remus just shook his head. "It's true you guys, at least this way, I'll be doing some good."

"So we're all in, then?" Sirius asked looking around their group, eyes landing on Peter.

The shorter boy was frowning, but he nodded all the same. "If you guys are in, I am too."

"It's decided then. We're joining the Order of the Phoenix."

* * *

A/N- Wow, look at that. A long ass chapter with plot development! Haven't had one of those in a while.


	28. The Exams

28-

"You ready?"

"As I'll ever be I suppose," Melora sighed, closing her Transfiguration textbook.

Beatrice nodded in agreement, but gave her book one more quick scan before closing it with a definitive thump.

The girls stared at one another from across the library table, and then both simultaneously deflated.

"No I can't do this."

"I'm doomed."

Their first NEWT exam was in an hour and despite studying nearly all night, Melora and Bea only knew one thing for sure. In the seven years they had spent at Hogwarts, they had not learned one thing.

"If it's possible to study so much that you actually learn less, I think we've just done it," Bea said with a heavy sigh, standing up to collect their books.

Melora rubbed her neck as she stood. There was a painful crick in it from leaning over books for the past weeks that would not go away.

"I'm just hoping when we get in there I remember something," she admitted.

And thankfully she did. As soon as she was given her exam, lessons with McGonagall and essays she had written before came flooding back and Melora couldn't write fast enough.

When the written section was over, she met up with Beatrice who reported a similar experience.

"And to think we were worried!" Melora beamed.

An arm slithered around her waist, and Melora turned to smirk up at Sirius. "How'd you do?" she asked.

"Probably better than you," he gloated.

"What about you Remus?" Melora asked, peaking over Sirius's shoulder. The sandy-haired boy was staring determinedly away from Beatrice, who was doing the same on the other side of Melora.

"Alright I think," He said, "Might have messed up some spelling. I'm going to go find Peter."

Melora watched Remus hurry away with a frown. "Have you two talked at all?" she asked Bea.

"Not for a while," Bea said. Melora could tell her friend was attempting to sound nonchalant, but was failing miserably. "I'm going to go meet up with Dorcas and Anna for lunch. I'll see you before the practical, okay Lora?"

The blonde nodded and sighed as her friend walked away. "They're making themselves miserable," she said.

Sirius squeezed her waist. "Not everyone can have a happy ending," he replied sadly, "Come on, James and Lily should be done snogging by now. I told them we'd meet them in the Great Hall."

The practical for Transfiguration went just as well as the written portion, although Melora did have some difficulty concentrating with the pointed looks her examiner was sending at her swollen belly.

"If they take points off because I'm pregnant, I will hex someone," she hissed as she stormed out of the room.

"I'm sure they won't," Bea said, patting her shoulder comfortingly.

Melora wasn't so sure, but as the week went on, she was pleased to see not all of the examiners were so harsh. The old lady for Potions asked her cheerfully when the baby was due, and she was fairly sure the Charms and Defense examiners simply thought she was overweight.

The written exams, although difficult, were nowhere near as bad as she had thought they'd be and like Transfiguration, once she saw the questions, her lessons came flooding back.

By the time of her last test, Melora was feeling quite positive about her NEWTs.

"What have you got left?" she asked Sirius as they finished breakfast.

"Just Divination," Sirius replied, "Should be a breeze. You?"

"Muggle Studies," she said, "And then we're done! How odd is that?"

"Extremely odd," Sirius chuckled, "Do you want to meet for lunch then?"

"Sure," Melora said, giving Sirius a quick peck on the cheek as she stood up, "See you then-oh!" She paused and leaned on Sirius for a moment, grabbing her stomach.

"What is it? Are you okay?" he said looking around for a teacher or someone to call for help.

"Yeah," Melora blinked and stood straight, "Just a little cramp is all."

Sirius didn't look satisfied with this answer, but he let her go.

Beatrice met her outside the Great Hall and the two made their way upstairs. Because Muggle Studies only had nine students in it, the exam was given in the classroom.

"It's strange isn't it?" Bea mused as they walked, "To think we'll be going out into the real world after this."

Melora nodded. "I was just saying the same thing to Sirius."

Bea bit her lower lip. "Lora, I have to tell you something," she said softly, "I applied for an internship working in America."

Melora stopped dead. "What?" she exclaimed.

"Don't be mad!" Bea begged, "It's just, America's Statue of Secrecy is different than ours and they have this whole division that deals with muggle relations in ways besides obliviating them like we do here and I'm really interested in it and the woman I interviewed with said I had a really good chance of getting in cause my dad's muggle and oh please don't be mad."

Melora stared at her friend blankly. "Mad?" she giggled, "Bea, why would I be mad? This is great! I'm so proud of you!"

"Really?" Bea smiled, "I was so worried, I mean, it's so far."

"So it'll be hard," Melora shrugged, "But we'll keep in touch. There's owls and floo and portkeys," a smirk appeared on her face, "And to be honest, you're not the only one with a secret job interview."

"What do you mean?" Bea asked.

"I have an interview at the Daily Prophet," Melora said, grinning widely, "They just owled me yesterday confirming it."

"Oh that's brilliant," Bea said, hugging her friend the best she could with Melora's protruding stomach, "Look at us, all grown up and having jobs and children." She poked Melora's stomach and the blonde smacked her fingers away.

"Stop it before you make me cry," she said sternly, but the smile on her face made it hard for Bea to take her seriously, "Now come on before we're late for the exam."

The two girls grabbed hands and hurried to their classroom. Peter was outside, looking over his textbook.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Beyond ready," Melora replied confidently.

The three made their way into the classroom. Professor Winterberry directed them to their seats and when the last students entered, began passing out the test.

Muggle Studies was a fairly easy class and as was its NEWT. Melora breezed through the first page, but found herself stuck when she had to explain the basic principles of electricity.

It was the one topic in the class she had trouble with, and she began to worry a little as she struggled to properly express the intricacies of flipping a switch to make a light come on. It didn't help that her cramps were returning. She had felt a small one in the hallway, but had two more since entering the classroom and they were making it rather difficult for her to concentrate.

Suddenly, just when she finally felt she had a grasp on what she was writing, Melora felt something wet slide down her leg.

No, no, no.

Her water did not just break.

Not in the middle of her last exam.

Not a month before she was due.

Panic set in quickly, but Melora shoved those feelings away and focused on sound of her quill scratching against the parchment.

Once she'd finished with the electricity question, she manically scribbled the rest of her answers. The cramps continued and Melora realized they were not cramps at all, they were contractions.

Several of her classmates had finished by now, including Beatrice. Peter two rows over was running a hand through his hair frustrated.

"Miss Jones," Winterberry said, "Eyes on your own parchment."

"I'm finished Professor," she said breathlessly, "Do you think you could call Madame Moffat?"

The remaining students looked up curiously and Beatrice, who was waiting outside peeked in.

"Why Miss Jones?" Winterberry frowned.

"I think I've just gone into labor."

* * *

A/N- Well that's an inconvenient spot to end. Haha, cliffhanger! Haven't had one of those in a while. For those of you who can't remember, Melora's due date (mentioned way back in chapter 8 I believe) was early July.


	29. The Baby

29-

What happened next occurred so fast that looking back, Melora found she could remember little of it. But from what she had gathered, it went a little like this.

Beatrice ran off quickly to get Madame Moffat, and Professor Winterberry forced Melora into a desk and instructed her to keep calm and told the rest of the students to finish their exams.

Peter ran up to the front of the class, parchment in hand.

"Finish your exam Mr. Pettigrew," Winterberry scowled.

"I have," Peter said, thrusting the test at the professor and turning to Melora, "D'you want me to get Sirius?"

Melora nodded frantically and no sooner had the Gryffindor boy left than Bea had returned with the school matron.

"Come on dear," Moffat and Bea helped her up and supported her out of the classroom.

Melora tried to shake them off, insisting she could walk fine, but the shock of the fact she was going into labor a month early had left her fairly woozy, and when Bea and Moffat reluctantly let go, the blonde nearly face planted in the corridor.

"Careful there," Moffat said, catching her before she hit the floor, "We're going to Professor Dumbledore's office to use the fireplace. You'll floo to St. Mungo's where you parents should be waiting."

"Sirius?" Melora asked.

Moffat pursed her lips and Beatrice answered for her. "He'll meet us there," she assured her friend.

"This shouldn't be happening," Melora shook her head, "It's too early."

"Not much you can do about that now," Moffat pointed out.

Melora shot the older woman a nasty look and Beatrice let out a cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh.

Before long they'd arrived at the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore was absent, but Moffat retrieved a pot of floo powder she offered to Melora. She took a handful and tossed it into the fireplace.

"You'll be behind me?" she asked Beatrice.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Bea grinned.

Melora smiled weakly and stepped into the green flames. "St. Mungo's!"

The room spun and Melora squeezed her eyes shut. When she felt the spinning stop, she took a step out of the fireplace and into the strong arms of an awaiting healer.

"Melora Jones?" The healer asked. He was a handsome young man with dark skin and warm brown eyes. Melora nodded faintly.

"Right this way," he directed her down several corridors and into a room and handed her a hospital gown. "Loo's that door," he nodded to the door in the corner, "Your parents and Healer Jacoby should be in soon. If you need anything I'm Lloyd, just tap the circle on your nightstand and I'll come running." He winked and Melora flushed.

When Lloyd left, she headed into the bathroom to change. Pulling off her wet uniform, Melora winced, she didn't want to imagine the mess she had left in the Muggle Studies room.

No sooner had she stepped out of the loo, did her mother come running in.

"Oh Melora sweetie! Are you okay?" she hugged her daughter close and Melora squirmed at the uncomfortable position.

"Alright considering the circum-ooh!" Melora broke from her mum's embrace and bent over in pain.

"Oh good," Healer Jacoby's cheery voice chimed in from the entrance, "Your contractions have started. How often have they been coming?"

"Uh, 10-15 minutes," Melora guessed as her mum helped her into the hospital bed, "Where's Dad?"

"In the reception area waiting for Sirius. I wouldn't expect to see him until after this is over though. Could barely stand it when I had you"

"And Bea?"

"Right here!" The brunette announced and Melora smiled gratefully at her friend. "Sorry I got caught up arguing with the Welcome Witch. Bint didn't believe I was your sister."

Melora turned her head curiously, "Sister?"

"Only family's allowed in the room," her mum explained, "And Sirius since he's the baby's father."

"Interesting how close in age you and your sister are," Lloyd the Healer came back in the room with a small bucket, "Ice chips for you Miss Jones."

Mrs. Jones took the bucket from him and set it on the bedside table.

"We're actually twins," Bea said coolly, "Identical."

"I can see that," Lloyd chuckling as he left.

"Oh he's right fit," Bea grinned widely, "That's Lloyd Thomas, isn't it?"

"Who?" Melora asked.

"Lloyd Thomas, he was Head Boy when we were third years I think. I'm pretty sure he was a Gryffindor."

"Tell me you're not planning on flirting with my Healer while I have a baby," Melora groaned.

"Not when you have the baby," Bea said defensively, "But maybe after."

Melora rolled her eyes, but she was glad her friend was getting over Remus Lupin. But before she could ponder over this more another contraction hit her and Melora hissed in pain. They were getting worse.

"Where is Sirius?" she seethed.

* * *

Sirius, meanwhile, was currently unaware of what was going on miles away in London. He had finished his Divination NEWT about an hour ago and he and James had snuck off to the secret passageway that led to the Honeydukes basement with the map and James's cloak in celebration of finishing Hogwarts.

The boys were also in a deep discussion of what they thought they'd get to do as members of the Order.

"Is Lily worried?" Sirius asked as they made their way down the passageway.

"Nah," James replied, "I actually think she's quite excited. What about Melora?"

Sirius bit his lip. "I may have not told her yet," he admitted.

"What?" James exclaimed, "Why not?"

"There really hasn't been a lot of time," Sirius explained, "With studying for NEWTs and all. I figured I'd talk to her about it after school had finished, but before the baby was born."

The irony of the statement was lost on both boys.

"I dunno if that's the best idea mate," James said.

Sirius went to argue, but he stopped abruptly. "Do you hear that?"

James listened. He could just barely hear a voice calling his name and he pulled out a small mirror from his bag.

"Why d'you have the mirror on you?" Sirius asked, "Mine's in the dorm."

James shrugged, "I left it in my bag after that prank we pulled on the Slytherin team last week."

Sirius grinned at the thought of the Slytherins covered in feathers. "Oh yeah."

"Hey Peter," James said into the mirror, "What's up?"

"Where are you?" Peter asked frantically, "Is Sirius with you? I can't find him anywhere!"

"Yeah Pads is with me, we're going to Honeydukes to celebrate finishing NEWTs, you want anything?"

"No!" Peter exclaimed, "You have to get back right now."

"Why?"

"Melora's having the baby!"

"WHAT?" Sirius grabbed the mirror out of James's hands, "WHAT?"

"Yeah! She started having it in the Muggle Studies room during our NEWT, she's gone to St. Mungo's and you've got to come back."

Sirius dropped the mirror and took off running back towards Hogwarts.

James picked it back up and dusted off the dirt. "We'll be right there Wormtail," he said before jogging after his friend.

* * *

Back in St. Mungo's, Melora was ready to run as well. Run away from this hospital as fast as she could.

Unfortunately, that wasn't very fast and she had the whole baby coming out of her thing would probably slow her down.

With each new contraction, Melora squeezed her mother's hand in pain and begged her to make it stop. The healers had given her a potion for the pain, but it had done little besides leave a bad taste in her mouth.

"Where- the fuck- is- Sirius," she panted after a particularly bad contraction.

"On his way," Bea assured her, wiping back Melora's hair from her sweaty face.

As if on cue there was a loud clattering outside in the corridor.

"Sir you can't go in there!"

"What d'you mean?" Sirius yelled back, "I'm the baby's father."

There was another loud crash and Sirius appeared, panting in the doorway, Lloyd behind him, holding his collar.

"This bloke says he knows you Melora?" Lloyd asked.

Melora nodded, too tired to say much else and Lloyd reluctantly let go of Sirius, who glared at him before rushing to Melora's side.

"We'll give you two a moment," Mrs. Jones said, guiding Bea out of the room with her.

"Where've you been?" Melora asked when the two had gone.

"James and I went to Honeydukes after our exam," Sirius explained grabbing hold of Melora's hand, "Peter found us before we got there but it took him a while. I ran as fast as I could though," he grimaced, "Got a bit of a stich in my side hurts like hell."

"You went to Honeydukes," Melora said tersely, her grip tightening on Sirius' hand, "While I was in labor?"

"Will, I, er…I didn't know you were in labor!" Sirius exclaimed, attempting to wiggle his fingers loose.

"And then you have the nerve to complain about your pain to me?" she cried.

Sirius winced as Melora's grip grew even tighter. "Er, sorry?"

"Sorry? Sorry?" Melora leaned forward and let out a shrill scream as another contraction hit her. Sirius tried to stand back, but Melora's hold prevented him.

Mrs. Jones and Healer Jacoby ran back into the room.

"Get-him-out-of-here!" Melora huffed to her mother. Sirius tried to leave, but the blonde didn't release his hand.

Healer Jacoby went to the foot of the bed where Melora's legs were popped up and draped over with a sheet. She peeked under and beamed back up at Melora.

"Good news!" She said, "The baby's almost ready to come out!"

"Good news?" Melora shrieked.

Jacoby nodded, "You're going to have to start pushing soon."

Melora let out another shriek of frustration and leaned back. Her mother wiped her sweaty forehead off with a damp cloth. "You're doing great sweetheart," she muttered soothingly.

"Should I, erm, go?" Sirius asked weakly.

"No," Melora said, her eyes wide in fear.

Healer Jacoby had settled herself at the foot of the bed. Lloyd came in the room and joined her. Sirius watched him through narrowed eyes.

"What is he doing?"

"Assisting me," Jacoby explained.

"He's not going to be looking down there is he?" Sirius asked incredulously.

Melora rolled her eyes. "He's a healer Sirius get over-ahh!"

She gripped his hand tightly, and Sirius' concerns about the male healer were replaced with concerns for Melora and his hand.

"Okay Melora," Healer Jacoby instructed, "You need to start pushing now."

Tears from pain gathered in the blonde's eyes as she tried to do what the healer said. "Harder Melora," Jacoby said.

"I'm trying!" She yelled.

"You can do it Mel," Sirius encouraged her.

"Oh shut the fuck up you bloody bastard!" Melora screamed, "This is all your fault!"

Sirius looked up at Mrs. Jones in confusion. The older woman just shook her head and turned to her daughter. "Come on Melora, push."

"The baby's crowning," Healer Jacoby said.

"Almost there Melora," Sirius cheered.

"You are never touching me again!" Melora shrieked.

"Don't worry, they always say that," Jacoby chuckled, "The head's almost out. Just a few more pushes!"

A few more pushes indeed. The minutes dragged on for an eternity for Sirius as Melora swore like a sailor and Healer Jacoby updated how much of the baby was out.

Head, shoulders, arms, stomach

"One more push!"

Melora set out a strangled cry which was suddenly mixed with the sound of a wailing baby.

"You did it!" Sirius exclaimed as Melora fell back on her pillow.

Healer Jacoby held up the tiny baby with a smile. "Congratulations you two," she said, "It's a healthy baby girl."

* * *

The small maternity ward waiting room of St. Mungo's was oddly full. Six teenagers and three graying adults had crammed into the five seats. But despite the size of the party, they were unusually quiet, all eyes on the door leading down to the patients' rooms.

There had been muffled screams coming from the hallway for some time, but things had gone quiet several minutes ago and they were all slightly worried something had gone wrong.

Suddenly there were loud footsteps and the door was swung open. Sirius beamed at his friends, a tiny bundle of blankets in his arms.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Emily Kendra Black."

* * *

A/N- And we've finally made it! The baby's been born! Jeez, I can't believe how close we are to the end. From here there's going to be some time jumps, and the chapters will get longer. But, I'll be taking a teeny break (not any longer than you've waited before) before we get all that just to finish this semester off without worrying about updating. So I'll see you all in May, probably around the 10th.

Thanks for all your lovely reviews! Sorry I've been so slow answering them, but I promise I will soon.


	30. The Summer

30-

Melora made a face at herself in the mirror as she fixed her blonde hair back with a clip.

"I look awful," she declared.

Behind her, her mother rolled her eyes. "You look lovely," Maryanne corrected her.

A slight cry bubbled up from Maryanne's arms and Melora rushed over to take her baby girl from her mother. "It's okay Emma," she said soothingly, "Mummy will be back soon."

"How are you ever going to have a full-time job if you can't leave her for one hour?" Maryanne sighed taking Emily back.

Melora frowned. "I'm just worried," she replied, "Healer Jacoby said she might be more susceptible to illness on account of being born early and she felt warm last night."

Maryanne smiled at her daughter fondly. "She's fine sweetie. You just focus on your interview."

At the mention of her dreaded interview, Melora returned to the mirror to check herself over again. Although she was thinner, she hadn't quite lost all her baby weight and her face was still quite round.

Still, she looked nice in her professional robes with her hair pulled neatly back and she took a deep breath, reminding herself no one at the Prophet was going to magically be able to tell she'd just had a baby.

You know, unless they were a legilimens.

"I'm meeting Sirius for lunch at the Leaky Cauldron after my interview," Melora told her mother, trying to shake her worries from her head, "So I'll be back around two."

* * *

"Hey! How'd the interview go?"

Melora beamed as Sirius gave her a peck on the cheek and settled across the table from her.

"Real well," she said, "I think I got it, but I'll find out for sure in a few days."

"That's brilliant," Sirius told her.

"What about you?" she asked, "Find any jobs that catch your fancy?"

A nervous look flicked over Sirius's face and he turned to the bar, signaling Tom, the barkeeper, for a butterbeer.

"Sirius?"

"Sort of," he admitted.

Melora frowned. "What d'you mean?"

"Ok," Sirius took a deep breath, "I wanted to tell you about this a while ago, but then we had NEWTs and the baby and you've been so busy, I didn't want to bother you…" He trailed off as Tom brought over their drinks, and then took a long gulp of his.

"Sirius? You're sort of freaking me out," Melora said lightly.

"What I'm about to tell you," Sirius said in a hushed tone, "You have to keep quiet, okay? No one's supposed to know."

Melora hesitated, but agreed and Sirius launched into an explanation of what had happened from receiving his letter from Dumbledore to going to the meeting in his office to attending Order meetings over the summer.

When he finished he looked at Melora expectantly. She leaned back and gazed around the bar, staring at the patrons, too stunned to reply.

"Mel?" Sirius reached out to put his hand on top of hers, but she yanked it away.

"You can't seriously be doing this," she said softly.

"I have to," Sirius replied.

"You're going to get yourself killed!" Melora hissed, meeting his eyes with a glare.

"No I'm not," Sirius protested.

Melora shook her head. "I can't do this right now," she said, "I can't- everything is good Sirius, everything is finally okay and I can't." She stood up abruptly, nearly knocking over her drink in the process. "Don't come over for a while okay?"

"What?" Sirius stood up as well.

"Just, I need a few days to think about this," Melora grabbed her cloak and shoved her arms through the sleeves hurriedly.

"You can't keep Emma from me because of this," Sirius said.

"I'm not!" Melora exclaimed, "I just- I just need time to think about this."

Sirius tried to protest again, but before he could get a word out, Melora apparated on the spot, leaving him talking to air.

* * *

"So did you get it?"

Melora beamed into the fireplace and flashed her newly printed employee badge at the flames. Beatrice's face grew bigger as she leaned into the fire to see it.

"Oh!" she squealed, "Brilliant!"

"Thanks," Melora tucked the card into her pocket, "So how goes things across the pond?"

"Good," Bea tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "I mean they're different here, but I like it." She paused for a moment, considering her words, "I have a date Friday."

"Really?" Melora clapped her hands together, "Was it the dishy healer from the maternity ward?"

"No he had a girlfriend," Bea's cheeks flushed, "It's a bloke I met here."

"An American?" It was Melora's turn to lean farther into the fire, "What's he like?"

"He's just a bloke!" Bea exclaimed.

Melora rolled her eyes, "Come on Bea, I've got a baby! I can't very well date."

"Especially considering the whole having a boyfriend thing," Bea pointed out. Melora ignored her and continued.

"I have to live vicariously through you, so tell me about this guy. Do you work together?"

Bea frowned, "Melora, did something happen between you and Sirius?"

Melora looked away. "I'd rather not talk about it Bea."

"Lora, what happened?"

Melora sighed. "We just had a… disagreement last week after my interview."

"What about?"

"He…" Melora groaned, "He and Remus and James and Lily and Peter they all joined some sort of, well he told me it's some sort of secret organization to fight You-Know-Who, I'm not supposed to talk about it."

"The Order of the Phoenix?" Bea asked in a hushed whisper.

Melora's eyes widened. "How'd you know?"

"Dorcas joined," Bea explained, "She told me about it before we graduated."

"It's just," Melora shook her head, "From what Sirius told me it sounds so dangerous. I'm afraid if he spends time with Emma, she'll be in danger too."

Bea bit her lip, "I don't know what to tell you Lora. But I don't think you can stop Sirius from seeing Emma. I'd just try to be as safe as possible. Maybe put some shield charms on your house?"

Melora nodded. "That's a good idea, Bee," she sighed again and then perked up, "So now tell me about this American bloke!"

Bea groaned.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the edge of a sleepy town in the middle of nowhere, there were three sharp cracks and a loud shout.

"Watch it!"

"Shhh!"

Suddenly, a young man appeared out of thin air. He ran a hand through his already messy hair nervously and adjusted his glasses.

"Sorry," James muttered to the air next to him, "We're clear."

Sirius and Lily appeared next to him, wands at the ready.

Since they'd first begun their active Order of the Phoenix duties, it had been fairly boring. Attending meetings, listening to plans they weren't part of, and practicing dueling with Alastor Moody, who had a habit of barking 'Constant Vigilance!' at them when they least expected it.

But several days ago, the teenagers had received their first official mission. Admittedly, it was only to scope out a few small towns that the Order believed one of would be the sight of a Death Eater attack in a few days. But it was exciting nonetheless.

Remus and Dorcas Meadows had been sent to one, Peter and Benjy Fenwick to another, and James, Lily and Sirius had been sent to the third.

"Looks to be about 23 houses," Lily said, counting the homes from their vantage point on top of the small hill overlooking the village they'd apparated on. She marked the number down on a scrap of parchment with a muggle pen.

As Lily continued to scribble down her observations, James and Sirius flopped down on the grass.

"How's Emma?" James asked quietly.

"Good," Sirius said, "Haven't seen her in a while though."

"Melora's still mad about the Order?"

Sirius shrugged, "She says she just needs time. She was less than pleased about the idea of me fighting."

James nodded and looked over at Lily. The redhead was consumed in her work, paying little attention to the boys.

"Listen I have to ask you a question," James said in a low voice.

"What?"

James opened his mouth to ask his question, but he was cut off by Lily's sharp gasp.

"What?" Both boys jumped to their feet.

Lily pointed wordlessly at the village where the three could see several hooded figures apparating in.

James let out a stream of swears. "They're not supposed to attack for three days."

"We have to do something," Sirius said

"We should call for back-up," Lily replied, "They outnumber us two to one. _Expecto Patronum_." She waved her wand and a silver doe emerged. "South Hollow's being attacked. Send reinforcements immediately," she told the doe. It nodded and took off leaving a silver mist in its path.

There was a loud scream in the town below and the boys exchanged a glance. "We can't just wait," James said, pulling his wand out.

Sirius nodded. Lily looked slightly hesitant, but she too pulled out her wand. This was, after all what they had signed up for. They looked at one another once more, as if waiting for one of the others to point out how insane what they were about to do was.

Then, they disappeared with a crack.

* * *

The message came just before she left for work.

Melora was just about to grab some floo powder when the fire lit green and a woman's face appeared.

"Melora Jones?" The woman said in a dull tone.

"Yes?" Melora knelt down in front of the fire.

"We have a patient here named Sirius Black and you're listed as his emergency contact?"

"What?" Melora shrieked. The witch in the fireplace just shrugged and Melora jumped up and scrambled to find a piece of parchment. She scribbled a quick note to her boss explaining she had a family emergency and sent it off with the family owl. When she returned to the fire, the face was gone and Melora grabbed a handful of floo and stepped into the flames.

"St. Mungo's!" she yelled.

Melora stumbled into the waiting room and ran up to the window.

"Sirius Black?" she asked, panting.

"Spell Damage," the Welcome Witch said in a bored tone. She went on to give directions, but Melora was already gone through the doors.

Sirius was waiting in the hallway, slumped down in a seat. But when he saw Melora dashing towards him, he popped up. His face was cut up, he had a black eye, and he winced as he stood, but he was okay.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. Melora ignored his question and threw herself into his arms.

"Ow," he moaned, "Broken ribs Melora, broken ribs."

"You idiot," she said into his shirt, "You bloody idiot."

"How'd you know I was here?" he asked as she released him.

"You listed me as your emergency contact," Melora replied.

"Oh yeah," Sirius rubbed his neck, "I'd forgotten about that."

"Is that James?" Melora asked nervously, peering into the room Sirius had been waiting outside of.

"He's okay," Sirius sighed, "Caught the nasty end of a slashing jinx and hit the side of a wall at the same time, but the healer says he'll be alright in a few days."

"You know this only makes me worry more, right?" Melora said softly.

"Melora," Sirius rubbed the bridge of his nose, "You don't understand. I'm doing this for you, for Emma. I'm doing this to make a better world for her, a safer world."

"But would it really be a better world if you weren't in it?"

Sirius was taken aback by her point, but before he could formulate an answer, Melora grabbed his hand and pulled him into James' room with her.

James was lying in bed, Lily standing over him. Lily, like Sirius, was cut up and bruised, but other than that looked fine. James on the other hand had bandages wrapped around his head and chest. There were several burns peeking out of the bandages on his shoulders and he had two black eyes and a swollen lip.

"How're you doing?" Melora asked.

James grinned weakly. "Fine. It was way scarier when you just threatened to hex me Melora."

Melora rolled her eyes, but smiled as well. "The bad news is the impact to his head doesn't seem to have fixed anything Lily."

The redhead chuckled, "We'll just have to keep trying."

The two girls exchanged idle chit-chat about Melora's new job and Emily for a few minutes. It felt odd to be talking about such normal things while James was lying in a hospital bed between them, but Melora didn't know what else to do.

Finally, they ran out of things to talk about. Melora considered excusing herself, but she didn't want to leave Sirius's side and she knew it would be fruitless to try and get him away from James.

Lily's stomach growled loudly and she looked down at it embarrassed. "I haven't eaten anything since before the mission," she admitted.

Melora chuckled, "Do you want to go down to the cafeteria and find something to eat?"

Lily nodded, but before she could turn to leave, James grabbed her hand.

"Lily wait," James looked up at his girlfriend, "I was going to wait a little longer to ask you this, but after everything we just went through. I don't think I can wait another day."

Lily cocked her head, "What is it?"

"I love you Lily Evans. I've loved you since our fourth year and from the moment you finally reciprocated my feelings," Lily's eyes widened as she realized what James was about to do, "I wanted to make sure I got to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much I love you. Because without you Lily Evans, I'm nothing."

"Oh James," tears welled up in Lily's eyes.

"So Lily," James grinned widely, "Will you marry me?"

"Oh my god, yes!" Lily threw herself on top of James who let out a surprised cry of pain followed by laughter.

"Yes? Really?"

"Of course," Lily leaned in to give him a long kiss.

"I have a ring," James said when they broke apart, "It's at the flat, I have it I swear."

Lily laughed, "I don't care about a ring you idiot."

Sirius snaked him arm around Melora's shoulders as they watched the newly engaged couple celebrate. But she shrugged him off. He pouted and she gave him a light kiss on the lips. "I'm going to let my mum know where I am," she explained, "I'll be right back." She paused and then smiled shyly, "Do you want to come over for dinner tonight? I know Emma misses you."

Sirius beamed, "I'd love to."

"Congrats you two," Melora told Lily and James who nodded in thanks.

When the blonde was gone, Lily and James turned to Sirius curiously.

"Did you tell her what happened?" James asked.

Sirius shook his head. "I couldn't," he said weakly.

Lily and James both gave him disapproving looks and Sirius looked away uncomfortable.

"It's not an easy thing to bring up," he protested, "Hey Melora by the way, we were attacked by Voldemort himself, but don't worry after we refused to join him and he tried to kill us, the rest of the Order showed up and scared him off?"

"It's better than saying nothing," Lily pointed out.

Sirius shook his head. "I wouldn't be too sure."

* * *

A/N- Ok, so it's a few days late, but look at how long it is! And how much stuff happened!


	31. The Holidays Again

31-

"Come on Emma, you can do it. Say 'Happy Christmas'!"

Melora rolled her eyes from her position on the couch, but when Sirius looked up from the floor and caught her eye, she couldn't help but smile.

"She's barely seven months old," Melora said, "She can't say 'mummy' much less 'Happy Christmas'."

Sirius shrugged and continued his futile efforts to get Emily to talk. The baby, however, was far more interested in the shiny baubles hanging off the Jones's Christmas tree. She continuously crawled towards the tree only to be dragged back by Sirius when she got to close.

"No tree," he told her, "bad."

But Emma just giggled at her father and waited for him to release her before setting off again for the tree.

"She's getting fast," Sirius commented as Melora scooped up the baby before she reached the tree, "She'll be walking in no time."

Emma squealed as Melora tickled her belly. "Nonsense," Melora replied, "All the books say babies don't start talking or walking until 12 months."

"Just because the books say one thing doesn't mean it's true for all babies," Sirius shot back, joining Melora on the couch, "Besides, your mum says you started talking early."

Melora yawned as Emma gurgled happily. Although Emma was sleeping more soundly, Melora hadn't had a good night's sleep in some time. "My mum also says I was casting spells before primary school. She likes to embellish the truth."

Sirius looked around nervously. He was staying at the Jones's (on the couch of course) for the holidays, and had been more polite than Melora had ever seen him. He had even gone so far as to complement Maryanne's cherry pie that had been burnt to nearly a crisp after she had accidently left it in the oven too long. Even now, when Melora's parents had left the two alone with Emma for the afternoon to visit some old friends, he was careful not to even sympathize when Melora complained about her parents, as though they had hidden cameras around the house.

Melora had a feeling he was worried they might decide he was an awful human being and she should cut off all contact with him and never allow him to see Emma again, but Melora knew this situation was highly unlikely. Her parents were well on their way to adoring Sirius as though he was their own son.

Of course, Melora had also withheld what Sirius was doing when he wasn't over at their house visiting Emma.

Melora bit her lip as Sirius scooped Emma out of her lap and swung the little girl in the air. Emma squealed, kicking her pudgy legs with delight.

The idea of Sirius fighting Death Eaters still terrified Melora, but she had decided it was better to worry and still spend time with Sirius than to not spend time with him at all and be left with only regrets should something happen.

Later that evening, after Melora put Emma to bed, she and Sirius collapsed together on the couch. Melora leaned back to rest against Sirius, but he flinched back.

Melora frowned. "What?"

"Your parents are gonna be home any minute!" he hissed, "What if they catch us?"

"Oh my god," Melora giggled, "Have my parents turned the great Sirius Black into a prude?"

"What? No!" Sirius scowled, "I just want to make a good impression."

"You're an idiot," Melora laughed, "They love you already." She smirked and grabbed his collar, tugging him towards her. "And so do I," Melora leaned in and closed the small remaining gap with a kiss.

Sirius was hesitant at first, but gave in quickly, wrapping his arms around Melora and pulling her on top of him.

"You're a bad influence," he mumbled between kisses.

Melora scoffed, but this quickly turned into a yawn. "Oh Merlin, I'm tired."

"No, no, no," Sirius gave her earlobe a playful bite, "No sleeping. If we're fooling around in your parents' house when they could walk in any second and kill me we're doing this right."

Melora laughed again, but this too turned into a yawn.

When Mr. and Mrs. Jones finally arrived home that night, they found Sirius and Melora cuddled together on the couch both snoring softly.

Walter laid a blanket over them as Maryanne went upstairs to check on Emma.

"Asleep like her parents," the witch reported when her husband followed her upstairs.

"It's a Christmas miracle," Walter chuckled as he tossed Maryanne the baby monitor he had plucked from next to Melora and Sirius on the couch, "But I think we can give them the best present of all, a good night's sleep."

* * *

"How's the wedding planning going?" Melora asked brightly as she and Lily strolled down Diagon Alley. Melora was pushing Emma in a baby buggy that had been a present from Lily and James for Christmas.

"Exhausting," Lily admitted. The two girls had decided to meet for lunch when they realized they hadn't seen each other in several weeks. And when Lily pointed out she hadn't seen Emma in even longer, Melora had wrapped her daughter up in as many layers as she could find and brought the infant along.

Emma seemed to be enjoying Diagon Alley (as much as an eight-month old could). It was just before Valentine's Day, and many of the shops were decorated with hearts and bewitched cupids flying in the windows. Whenever they stopped close enough to one for Emma to notice it, she tried desperately to reach up out of her seat for it. Melora was thankful the buggy had a seatbelt, but she was becoming slowly convinced Emma's curiosity would be the death of her.

"James' mum wants us to do all these Wizarding traditions that I don't think we can because of my muggle relatives," Lily sighed, "So she suggested we have two ceremonies which means double the work."

"So just say no," Melora suggested.

"I can't," Lily lowered her voice, "James' mum is getting ill and we're worried if I upset her with the wedding things, it might set her over the edge."

Melora nodded sympathetically and Lily sighed again.

"In the meanwhile, how would you feel about being a bridesmaid?"

Melora's eyes widened, "Me really?"

Lily laughed, "Well Sirius is going to be the best man. I've asked my sister to be my Maid-of-Honor, but she hasn't responded yet."

In spite of Lily's optimistic tone, Melora pitied the redhead. She knew Lily's sister had tried not to invite Lily to her wedding only did when their parents insisted. It was doubtful Petunia would even come to Lily and James's wedding, much less be a bridesmaid

"I'd love to," Melora beamed, "Who else are you asking?"

"I was thinking Mary and Dorcas, or maybe Alice Longbottom."

Melora nodded, she knew Lily, Dorcas, and Alice had grown close from their work in the Order.

"So how are things with you?" Lily asked.

"They're good!" Melora smiled, "Tiring, but good." She paused thoughtfully, "I'm thinking of moving out of my parents' house."

"That's great!" Lily exclaimed, "In with Sirius?"

"Maybe," she shrugged, "Or finding a new place for all three of us."

Lily raised a brow and glanced quickly down at Melora's ring finger, "Has he…?"

"Proposed again?" Melora flushed, "No not since the last time back in school. We haven't really had any time to spend alone though, what with this little troublemaker," Melora grinned down at Emma who looked up and reached for her mother's smiling face. "But my parents offered to babysit for Valentine's Day this weekend so that will be nice."

"I bet," Lily said, nudging her friend suggestively.

Melora rolled her eyes. "Not in front of my daughter please," she said, taking off at a quicker pace.

Lily laughed as she ran to catch up. "Oh she's barely eight months!"

* * *

"You do know Valentine's Day is when most couples usually go out, right?" Melora commented as she and Sirius apparated outside his building, "I was expecting Paris, Rome, even central London would be impressive. Anything but your flat."

Sirius just grinned widely. "Just close your eyes," he said.

Melora sighed, but covered her eyes with her hands. Sirius had insisted on planning everything for their Valentine's Day date and while Melora's standards hadn't exactly been high, she certainly had hoped for more than the night in Sirius' dingy flat.

Sirius led Melora into the building and up the stairs, with her peeking out between her fingers every few steps.

"I can see you peeping," Sirius said with a smirk when they reached the second floor. Sirius lived on the fourth.

"I don't want to fall," she replied defensively.

"As if I'd let you fall," Sirius grinned and before Melora realized what he was doing, Sirius swooped her up bridal style.

"Sirius Black you put me down this instant!" she shrieked.

"Close your eyes!" he laughed, running up the stairs.

Melora let out a scream of surprise and covered her eyes again, this time more out of fear. When Sirius tripped and dropped her to her death, she didn't want to see it coming.

But Sirius kept his promise and kept his grip on her until they reached his door and he gently set her down.

"Never again," Melora huffed, eyes still closed.

"I can't make that promise," Sirius said, opening the door, "But you can open your eyes now."

Melora did as she was told and let out a small gasp as she saw the inside of the flat. Every surface was littered with candles sans a small area on the floor that was covered by a blanket. On the blanket sat two glasses and a bottle of champagne between them.

"Happy Valentine's Day Melora," Sirius said softly.

Melora spun around and kissed him as hard as she could.

"Happy Valentine's Day," she replied, slightly breathless when they broke apart.

Sirius just grinned widely and scooped her up back in his arms, carrying her into his apartment and kicking the door closed behind them.

* * *

A/N- Erm, hello there.

Sorry I've been non-existent for the past four months. This summer turned out to be far more busy than I thought it would. And with my upcoming semester (I'll be studying abroad in London!), I can't exactly guarantee a fast update after this.

But I promise there is more to come and I will answer all your reviews.


	32. The Sleepover and the Party

32-

After Valentine's Day, things slowly went downhill for Sirius and Melora.

Mrs. Potter had grown ill and Sirius found most of the time he wasn't out on business for the Order, he was around the Potter's home, trying to be there for the family that had given him so much.

Unfortunately, this left little room for visiting Melora and Emma and by May, Sirius realized he had only seen his daughter a handful of times over the past 3 months.

He flooed Melora to discuss a visit immediately, but she too, had a full schedule.

"Four of my coworkers came down with Dragon Pox this week," she said shoving her blonde hair into a ponytail, "So I'll be working overtime for at least a month."

"What about this weekend?" Sirius suggested, "I leave Monday for Kent on business," business was Sirius's code for the Order, "And I'd really like to spend some time with Emma before I leave."

Melora hesitated. "I'm supposed to visit Beatrice this weekend."

Sirius cursed inwardly. He had known this. Melora had mentioned it months ago.

"But maybe you could stop by for an hour or two before I leave?" she offered.

A thought popped into Sirius's head. "Emma's not coming with you, is she?"

"No, my mum and dad are watching her."

"Or I could."

Melora blinked. "What?"

"I could watch Emma for the weekend," he said, getting excited, "Give your parents some time off and finally get to see my daughter."

The last part was a bit harsh and Sirius knew that, but now that the idea was in his head, he couldn't let it go.

Melora looked away, clearly torn between guilt and her desire to keep Emma out of harm's way. "Will it be safe?" she asked.

Sirius nodded eagerly. "Dumbledore himself helped me with my protection charms."

Melora let out a deep sigh and Sirius knew he had won.

But, it wasn't a total victory. Melora came by Friday to do her own sweep of the flat. Sirius had stocked it with baby supplies ages ago, but Melora still managed to find a shortage (apparently two bottles weren't even close to enough).

She also made him double check every softening charm on the corners of his furniture and all the locking spells on his cabinets and drawers.

"I'm not just going to let her run wild," Sirius said exasperatedly while Melora went around the flat triple checking he hadn't left anything too sharp too close to the ground.

"I know," the blonde replied stiffly, "I just want to make sure."

Sirius sighed, but let her do as she pleased and a half-hour later, Melora ran out of things to baby-proof.

"Okay," she said, "I'll be over at eight sharp."

* * *

James heard the call at three in the morning.

He and Lily had been sleeping soundly when Sirius's muffled voice yelling his name woke him up. For a moment James looked around, confused, still half in dream world. But as Sirius's voice persisted he woke up enough to stumble out of bed and over to his dresser where he had left his enchanted mirror.

"Padfoot it's the middle of the night," he said squinting blearily into the mirror, "What could possibly be so urgent?"

"I need your help! I can't get Emma to stop crying!" Sirius exclaimed.

James perked up. "We'll be right over."

"No!" Sirius shook his head, "Not Lily, don't tell Lily. She'll tell Melora and Melora will never trust me to be alone with Emma again."

James looked over at his sleeping fiancé. She would probably tell Melora…

"Get Moony and Wormtail," Sirius instructed. A loud wail erupted on his end. "Oh bugger," Sirius looked at James with wide eyes, "And hurry!"

That cry sent James into a silent flurry, getting dressed as quick as he could without waking Lily. He then stumbled into the living room to call Remus and Peter. The former promised to get over as fast as he could, but Peter didn't answer. James frowned at that, he knew Wormtail didn't have any Order business. He had had dinner with James and Lily only hours ago, but he had mentioned going out to the pub after. James's smirked; perhaps Peter had found more at the pub than a pint. Chuckling to himself, he readied to apparate before realizing he had left his shoes in the bedroom.

Hurrying up the stairs and tiptoeing into the room, he searched for his shoes, struggling to remember where he had left them. He and Lily had gotten into some wine after Peter had left and had been pretty tipsy by the time they'd stumbled upstairs. James cursed his drunk self, he always hid his clothes when drinking for some reason.

Just as he was about to give up and go barefoot, inspiration struck and James dove under the bed. Sure enough his shoes sat innocently at the very center. Unfortunately, in the process of the dive, James had knocked into his bedside table and sent the half-drunk glass of wine he had brought up with him earlier tumbling to the floor, landing on the carpet with a loud crash.

James winced and held his breath. Surely the jig was up now.

But when he popped his head over the edge of the bed, Lily just turned over in her sleep and mumbled something into her pillow.

James let out a sigh of relief and ran out of the bedroom, shoes in hand, before apparating with a small pop.

* * *

Sirius's apartment was a mess and Sirius matched it fairly well.

His hair was sticking up in almost as many directions as James's and he was covered in what James hoped was milk and some kind of red sauce, as were his walls.

"We had some troubles with dinner," Sirius explained wearily when James and Remus arrived. Remus took Emma and James led his friend to the bathroom to clean up.

"I don't even know what happened," he groaned, "Everything was fine until I started to feed her and she thought it would be more fun to throw the food than eat it. I tried giving her a bath, but that ended just as badly," James thought back to the soaking kitchen he had seen on his way in and had to agree, "And then I decided I'd just try to get her to go to sleep and everything was fine until a few hours ago when she woke up and started crying and hasn't stopped since. I've changed her and tried to feed her and burp her. I've sang to her, read her stories, played with her, but nothing's working!"

Sirius leaned against the sink, exhausted. "Who am I kidding Prongs? I'm not a father; I haven't spent more than five minutes with Emma for months. I'm awful with kids. Remember when I babysat my Cousin Andy's daughter? She covered the walls in crayon within the first five minutes I was there."

James shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous Padfoot, you're a great dad. Melora's always saying so and it's obvious every time I see Emma in your arms. Sure you're not always there but it's only because you're busy fighting so she can grow up in a world safe from Voldemort and Death Eaters. And Nymphadora was three, Andromeda and Ted couldn't even control her."

"I can't even get her to stop crying," Sirius said weakly.

"She's just being colicky Pads," James shook his head, "I'm sure it wouldn't have mattered who was caring for her tonight, the kitchen would have ended up a disaster area any way."

Sirius chuckled and ran a hand through his hair, smoothing it down with the mess of food on his hand. "Oh bollocks," he sighed, realizing what he had done.

James laughed. "Take a shower, Pads. Moony and I can keep the crying baby busy for twenty minutes."

Sirius's shower was much shorter than that, but it did the job all the same and when he emerged, he felt ready to take on his daughter despite the fact it was nearly four in the morning.

Emma was between James and Remus on the couch, her face was still twisted and red, but her sobs had decreased to sniffles. When she spotted Sirius, her chubby arms reached up and he hurried over to sweep her up in his arms. Emma buried her snotty nose into his clean shirt immediately and James and Remus tensed, waiting for Sirius to resume his freak out.

But their friend only laughed and hugged his daughter closer as her sniffles slowed down to nothing. "Come on Emma, one lullaby and then I think it's time for bed."

James shook his head as they watched Sirius take the infant into the bedroom, singing softly as they went. "And he says he's not a good dad."

"I think he's worried he'll be like his parents," Remus said quietly.

James looked alarmed at the idea. "You don't think—?"

"Of course not," Remus scoffed, "In fact it's because of them that I think he's such a good father."

And after the sight of Sirius hugging Emma tight and singing her to sleep, James had to agree.

* * *

Melora was pleased to see since spending his weekend with Emma, Sirius had been around far more often. She also noted the attacks on muggles had died down substantially and although, rationally she knew the war was far from over, as the sunny June day of her daughter's first birthday arrived, Melora couldn't help but feeling positive that its end was in sight.

So positive, in fact, she had made a fairly spontaneous purchase that morning that she was itching to tell anyone who would listen about. But, she instead kept it to herself, hidden behind a wide smile as she welcomed her friends and family in the backyard of her parents' home.

There was one person she had to tell first before anyone else and they had yet to arrive.

"I hope that smile's for me," said a voice behind her. Melora spun and engulfed Beatrice in a wide hug.

"I know it's only been a month, but it feels so much longer!" the blonde exclaimed when they broke apart.

Bea nodded in agreement, "So tell me where's that goddaughter of mine?"

"Mum's got her in the corner of the yard," Melora indicated to where her mum was fawning over the toddler with her friends, "Good luck trying to get within a meter of her. Oh by the way, I have some big news I want to tell you later."

Bea raised a brow, "And why not just tell me now?"

Melora flushed a little. "I've got to tell someone else first."

"And just where is your baby daddy today anyway?" Bea asked with a wicked grin. Melora's blush darkened and she whacked her friend on the shoulder.

"He'll be here soon. Go say hello to Emma before Mum smothers her to death."

Sirius meanwhile was pacing in his own flat. He was fairly late to Emma's birthday party, and getting later every minute, but no matter how much he tried he couldn't get up the courage to leave. Because he knew when he did he would be one step closer to asking Melora Jones, mother of his child, to marry him yet again.

And he was terrified.

With every passing day, Voldemort seemed to be growing stronger, and despite the Order's best efforts, things were looking bleak. The dark wizard had been lying low recently, but according to Dumbledore and Mad-Eye's info, he was planning something big. And Sirius had a bad feeling his family, particularly his younger brother, whom he had heard through the grapevine had dropped out of Hogwarts earlier this year to join the Death Eaters (much to his parents' pleasure), was right in the thick of it. Plus there had been rumors circulating that there was a mole in the Order.

And while the one side of Sirius was screaming at him to get as far away from Melora and Emma as possible to protect them, the other side, the selfish part of him, just wanted to keep them close and savor the last good thing in his life.

"I can do this," he told himself, taking a deep breathe; "I became an illegal animagus at age fifteen. I've fought Death Eaters and faced Voldemort himself. I've survived detention with Minerva McGonagall. I can do this."

With one final deep breathe he apparated out of his flat and into an alley a few blocks away from the Jones' home.

He could hear from a distance the party had already begun, and the sounds of laughter calmed his nerves slightly, but he was still jittery when he rang the doorbell.

Mr. Jones answered the door, greeting Sirius with a handshake and put his hand on his shoulder to guide him to the backyard. Sirius could see Melora just outside laughing with James and Lily, and had Mr. Jones not had a firm grasp on his shoulder, Sirius was fairly sure he might have made a bolt for it right there.

"Look who finally showed up!" James teased when they made it outside. Melora smiled brightly at him and Mr. Jones gave him a final clap on the back before heading off to greet some other guests.

"Yeah sorry," Sirius said, rubbing his neck, "Had to run a quick errand before I came over, took longer than I expected."

"No problem," Melora said.

She and Lily exchanged a quick glance before the redhead tugged on her fiancé's hand. "Oh James, there's Remus! Let's go say hello!"

"But we've already spoken to him," James frowned.

Lily rolled her eyes and tugged him away, winking to Melora as they went.

Melora shook her head at the other girl's antics and turned to Sirius. "Do you mind going back inside real quick? I have something to ask you in private."

Sirius's brow furrowed in curiosity, "Sure, I actually have something to ask you too."

"Great!" Melora led him back inside and sat him down on the couch. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"No I'm good," Sirius shifted on the couch, wincing slightly when he felt the box with the engagement ring in it in his pocket poke his leg.

Melora made herself a cup of tea slowly

"So I was in Richmond the other day," she started, staring firmly down at her cup, "And I saw something."

"What?"

"A house," she bit her lip and joined Sirius on the sofa, still focused on her tea, "Small, but in a cozy sort of way, with three bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, and the seller was this older woman, real desperate to sell, so I uh, made her an offer."

Sirius's eyes widened. "Yeah?"

"Yeah and I found out yesterday that she accepted it," Melora finally looked up, setting her cup on the table, "So I was thinking of moving out of my parents' house in a few weeks and wanted to know if maybe you'd consider moving in with me?"

If Sirius had accepted Melora's offer of a drink, he was fairly sure it would be on the floor right now. To say that was the last thing he was expecting would be an understatement, but thankfully he was a fast thinker and recovered quickly.

"I don't know Melora, seems a little scandalous. The two of us living together, unmarried and all."

"Oh," Melora's heart began to sink, as Sirius's hand inched towards his pocket, "Well I mean it has three bedrooms. And I never thought something like that would bother you…"

Sirius shrugged. "Well it doesn't bother me. But what will the neighbors say? What will your parents think?"

Melora struggled to answer. She certainly hadn't been expecting this reaction. "I don't know. I just thought…"

Sirius grasped the box in his pocket and slowly slid off the couch onto one knee. "Wouldn't it just be easier for everyone if we were married?" He pulled out the ring box and opened it, revealing the silver band encrusted with a diamond surrounded by two sapphires inside.

Melora's hand flew up to her mouth. She definitely hadn't expected that reaction.

"Well?" Sirius grinned nervously, "What do you say? Marry me Melora Jones?"

"I-I- does this mean you want to move into the house with me?"

Sirius threw his head back and let out a bark of laughter. "Of course you silly woman."

Melora grinned widely. "Then of course you idiot man." She threw her arms around him, sending them both tumbling on the floor, and knocking over the table and Melora's tea in the process. But neither seemed to mind as Sirius grabbed her hand and slipped the ring onto her finger.

"I love you," he whispered. The sound of feet running down the hallway hinting their crash had not gone unnoticed by the other partygoers and they were soon to be interrupted.

Melora just leaned in and pressed her lips against his. "I love you too."

* * *

A/N- So a very Merry Christmas to you all and Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Hope this was worth the wait. I'm back safe and sound from London and I can't believe this chapter is finally done. It took me forever and I'm still not totally pleased with it, but I couldn't withhold it from you any longer!

For those keeping score, there are three more planned chapters and one epilogue left. And I really do plan to finish this somehow! January will be the three year anniversary of me first publishing this story and I really don't want three years of work to go down the drain. Plus it would be the first novel-length fic I've ever finished!

Thanks so much for those of you still with me! You are all seriously what keeps me going.


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